


Sail Away

by TheIronDragon10



Category: Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: F/F, I ship this shamelessly, pirate queen, re-post
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-15
Updated: 2020-01-13
Packaged: 2020-01-14 17:25:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 12
Words: 53,849
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18480889
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheIronDragon10/pseuds/TheIronDragon10
Summary: When the queen of Fire and blood meets that of Iron and Salt the world will tremble.





	1. Queen of Love and Beauty

**Author's Note:**

> Hey y'all! Some of you might know this fic from FFNet. I decided to re-post and edit it now that we've made it to the final season!

 

"Last time we met it was at Winterfell, correct?" Dany stared straight ahead while Tyrion ripped into one of the Ironborn captives. The one all the way to the left seemed haunted, his eyes downcast and showing slight tremors, whatever he had seen in his life had left him scarred.

 

But he did not interest the dragon queen, it was the woman standing by him.

 

Theon and Yara Greyjoy, the children of the Kraken, rightful heirs of Pyke and the Iron Islands, last living heirs of Balon Greyjoy the salt king, standing bound by the wrists with ropes in front of the last living Targaryen, with 100 ships and men to sail them at their beck and call. What a strange picture they painted; they were a deep contrast of one another: Both had deep brown hair and iron grey eyes slapped with long faces and sharp noses, they stood with their legs spread apart like one would stand on a ship to keep balance. They wore grey leathers splotched with sea salt under brown armor with the Kraken of their house embedded abreast, but that was not what set them apart. Where Theon stood afraid of his own shadow, Yara looked confidently ahead at the queen and the Lannister dwarf. Her shoulders squared and a strange smirk concealed behind a steel gaze, she seemed ready to smack Tyrion a new one for tormenting her brother.

 

Dany had not seen so much confidence, poise and strength in a single person in the way she could see in Yara since Drogo, her deceased husband. She looked like the warrior queen she was, calm and collected but ready to strike, ropes be damned.

 

"I don't believe myself and Theon traveled around Westeros into slaver's bay to have a retelling of your life and grudges with him" said Yara, cutting off Tyrion's rant "What I do believe we're here for is to negotiate with queen Daenerys” Her steel gaze turned towards Daenerys, a small smile on her face “Any deal that will get her on the Throne and us home seems up our alley"

 

"you command 100 Ironborn ships and men to sail, my scouts tell me" responded Dany, meeting Yara's gaze "Is that the full strength of the Iron Fleet?"

 

"Our deepest apologies my queen, we left the Iron Island in a hurry” Theon snorted softly next to her--yeah, a hurry was an understatement “ we didn’t have the time to put out a call for ships and captains" a smirk marked the end of Yara's snarky response.

 

"So, who holds the other ships in your fleet?"

 

"The wonderful subject of our rush, our Nepotistic uncle, Euron Greyjoy." the two siblings glanced at each other before Yara continued, weary of the reactions they would get “He plans on bringing you a deal to bring you across the narrow sea as well”

 

"so why do I not just wait for him?" This better than any other time was Daenerys' moment to see if these ironborn were worth the legend of their people and the deal they wanted to strike.

 

"Euron's offer is one of marriage. He does not wish for you to take the kingdom with his help, he wishes to sit the Iron Throne with you as his prize" Theon held Dany's gaze for about as long as possible, but cowered down and looked at his sister to continue.

 

"you will not get one without the other. Theon relinquished his claim to the sea stone chair to me, yet Euron holds my fleet. But I believe you would think about the same as me; not one or one thousand ships are worth giving up your birthright to a man like Euron"

 

"I imagine then, that your offer is free of marriage demands?" Dany and Yara's eyes met with intensity, there was something there that Dany liked very much.

 

"Well I won't demand but I'm up for anything really" Yara winked at the dragon queen and a small snort of laughter escaped Theon at his sister’s cheekiness. Dany could not help but smile, a blush creeped up her ears, she felt like a maiden speaking to her crush. Yara's gaze intensified, almost as if she wanted to see her blush all over, as if she needed it to feel satisfied.

 

"you will support my claim to the Iron Throne and aid me in the battle for my kingdom. In turn, you can govern over the Iron Islands as you please, with whatever help I can offer to retake it from this nepotistic uncle with a sense of grandeur" Theon and Yara looked at one another, that seemed fair enough.

 

"Seems fair"

 

"You will also respect the integrity of the seven kingdoms. No more reeving or raping"

 

"That is our way of life" the thought of having to keep her men from the occasional village pillaging gave Yara the biggest headache in the world.

 

"No more. The world has suffered injustices all over for thousands of years. You and I mark the first of our ruling lines; the people need to learn a new way or die with their old one" the amethyst eyes sported by the Targaryen queen turned a deep shade of purple that enticed and frankly hypnotized the Greyjoy female. Her conviction, authority and air of royalty made up for her small size, Daenerys Stormborn was not to be messed with.

 

"No more" said the iron born in unison after eyeing each other apprehensively. The Ironborn were a proud people, reeving and raping was a pillar of their culture, but living independently was their dream.

 

Yara stretched out her arm for a handshake and stared deep into the Targaryen's eyes. Dany looked at the taller woman with the same intensity she had received when she was first brought into the room in the Meereen's pyramid, respect and something else, something Yara couldn't put her finger on.

 

Tyrion gave Dany a lopsided smile-He understood what was going on, even if the queens in front of him did not, and showed her ever so subtly what the handshake entailed. Dany's small and delicate hand wrapped around Yara's leather clad forearm. Even through the garment Yara could feel the heat coming off her, the fire that had bred the dragons that made her into a living legend. For her part Daenerys could feel the muscles that a ship hand would need to command a ship the size of _Black Wind_ , what the Iron Islands bred were hard and tough individuals, but this one in particular was enticing.

 

"my Queen" whispered Yara with a small smile. They were close enough for Dany to smell the sea in her and feel her breath. Warmth spread through the purple eyed queen, she could feel it burn through her and she could tell the Greyjoy woman could feel it as well, because her smile grew more intense, more mysterious.

 

"Now that we got this over with" Dany dropped her hand back to her side "it is time for supper. I imagine that because of the unfortunate circumstance of your arrival to Meereen you and your crew have not been exactly welcomed with open arms"

 

"Unsullied poking us with spears is not exactly the warmest welcome we've had on our voyage" admitted Yara "Supper would go a long way into an apology"

 

"Greyworm" the unsullied commander stepped in between the Greyjoy siblings to look at his queen "Please have the ironborn crew released and taken to the great hall to join us for supper. Make sure they're guarded on their way and that their ships are docked and properly taken care of"

 

"Guarded your Grace?"

 

"for your crew's protection of course. Despite the fact that we quelled the masters rebellion it never hurts to protect such a tempting target. After all I mean to sail to Westeros, and to sail I need people born of the sea" Dany felt a small sense of pride at Yara's smile. She represented the people she meant to rule one day, if she could make happy those who had always been known as rebellious and barbaric to the seven kingdoms her rule would hopefully be welcomed with open arms rather than bloodshed.

 

-oOoOo-

 

Yara and Theon were invited to sit in the dais with Dany and her small council. Under normal circumstances Tyrion would have sat to Dany's left and Missandei to her right. But the Greyjoy's had sparked true interest in her, so the two seats to her left were left empty for the queen and prince of the Iron born and Tyrion sat to the Queen's right.

 

However, they stayed their hand until every single one of their crew members walked through the door. Surrounded by unsullied but clearly not bound by any ropes or chains, that was good enough for the rightful queen of the Iron Islands.

 

"Do you think they'll come up here anytime soon?"

 

"the Ironborn are a different people, and the Greyjoy family more so" Tyrion put down his cup and gave the queen his undivided attention for what was her first real exposition at Westeros' citizens "The saying from their islands is that hard places breed hard men but they take care of one another. All the iron islanders are children of the Drowned God and all have the same salt and iron in their veins. Once Queen Yara and Prince Theon see their people fed and drunk to the brim they will attend you. It’s not that they wish to insult you, but their people come before anyone else"

 

Daenerys nodded to the Lannister. She did not feel insulted, she felt--as redundant as it was--intrigued by the iron islanders. Yara sat amongst her captains and crew, drank with them, and joked and made conversation with them. Even though Dany was always with Greyworm and Daario she never sat amongst the Unsullied, or the second sons. They were clearly very different Queens.

 

-oOoOo-

 

"So" Theon almost lost the gulp of wine he had taken to Yara's slap in the back "what do you think of the Dragon Queen little brother?". Yara was not drunk, it took a lot more than a barrel of wine to make her drunk, but she was clearly not in her senses either, and that meant Theon would have to pick his words carefully.

 

"I think she's very... Queenly" he took a swig of the extremely sweet wine they were offered "she clearly has the wits and cunning to rule Westeros if her conversation with you is anything to judge by" Yara did not say anything, waiting for him to finish his thought "but I think your ideas of her are probably different"

 

"on the contrary my dear brother. I think she could rule Westeros ten time better than the cunts who govern it now" Yara drank deeply from her jug and Theon felt a sense of dread, she had something in mind and he probably would not like it "with her attitude, and those tits and ass she can govern my bed if she pleases as well" Uh oh. There it was.

 

"IRONBORN!" Her crew and the hall in its entirety quieted to look at the Queen with the grey leathers who raised her goblet towards the Targaryen queen. "Let us toast! To Queen Daenerys Targaryen first of her name, queen of the Andals and the First Men, lady of the seven kingdoms and protector of the realm, breaker of chains, Khaleesi of the Dothraki, Mother of Dragons and Queen of love and Beauty. May your reign be as long and peaceful as you yourself are beautiful" Yara drank deeply to the cheers of her crewmen and the supportive yells of the second sons who all cried out Long May she reign and drank amongst wolf whistling. "Come Theon. Time to sit with the goddess of tits and wine"

 

_This is not going to go well for anyone_ was the last thing Theon thought about before Yara dragged him up from the back of his breastplate towards the dais where the Queen sat with two empty seats to her left.

 

 


	2. The Kraken of Black Wind

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello Y'all! I've decided to update this every couple of days, since it's an already finished story with minor edits. I am working on the remaining chapters for Fire and Iron and hopefully I'll have them all done by the time I post the last chapter for Sail Away sometime in the next two weeks. 
> 
> That being said, Allons-y!

 

Yara swaggered her way up to the dais, with her wine cup held tightly in one hand and Theon's armor in the other. The commotion her toast had caused was still going. The wine flowed, and music started playing loudly. The Ironborn and the second sons were telling loud tales of their escapades while Dany looked at the Greyjoy woman who in her opinion was well and truly intoxicated.

 

"I hope you enjoyed the toast your Grace" Yara sat with a loud thunk and put her foot on the armrest of her seat, her elbow resting on the arm rest closest to Dany, head lazily on her palm.

 

"I did lady Greyjoy, it was much appreciated" the Targaryen queen's face was stoic, the mask of indifference "I did however wanted to question one part. Queen of love and Beauty?"

 

"A good Targaryen tale I thought you might know" one long gulp of wine later left Yara with her cup hanging from its handle on her index finger, she stared at it with a smirk "your brother Rhaegar Targaryen proclaimed Lyanna Stark the Queen of Love and Beauty at the tourney of Harrenhall and crowned her with a crown of blue winter roses" Tyrion stopped drinking to examine Dany's face, that remained unreadable, except for her eyes "the kingdom and a Dynasty of a thousand years bled for one Queen of love and Beauty, maybe another one will restore it to its former glory"

 

"A tale I was not familiar with. Thank you for this piece of my history unknown to me at this point"

 

"I imagined Ser Barristan would have told you it? He was your brother's favorite Kingsguard. Loyal until the very end, he was actually the knight Rhaegar defeated to crown Lady Stark" a drop of surprise broke Dany's mask. "Ah, definitely not then" Tyrion Lannister knitted his fingers, elbows on the table, paying rapt attention to the Ironborn Queen "How many tens of thousands had to die because your brother chose Lyanna"

 

"Did he love her?"

 

"What's love got to do with anything?. The important part of the tale is what followed. Rhaegar took Lady Stark down south and sparked a rebellion that ended your family. The Mad King..." Yara paused thinking better of her moniker for the Queen's late father "King Aerys" she corrected "cooked Rickard Stark alive in his own armor and choked the life out of his first born, Brandon, when he tried to save him. Lords and their sons the length and breath of Westeros died to his wildfire"

 

"Is that what happened to your brothers? Cooked in their armors at the hands of my father?"

 

"Not at all your grace. Our father got ambitious. And ambition is what killed our family. Rodrik and Maron, our elder brothers, died during the two major defeats of the Greyjoy rebellion. Many years after Robert's own rebellion"

 

"I feel as if you and I had this same conversation once before Greyjoy" commented Tyrion "I saw their uncles, Euron and Victarion, burn the fleet at Lannisport, by far one of their largest victories" a small smile crossed the Greyjoy faces looking at the lion of Lannister "but it was not to last. Rodrik Greyjoy fell at Seagard and Pyke was besieged by the crown forces. My brother, Eddard Stark, that lunatic Thoros of Myr and your gallant Ser Jorah Mormont were crucial to the battle. Maron Greyjoy died and Balon Greyjoy's last living son was taken as a hostage by the Starks"

 

"What is dead may never die" proclaimed the Greyjoy siblings in unison at the end of the story.

 

"Bitter and humiliated my father groomed me to take over one day" Yara stretched her arm around Theon's shoulders "we feared the worst for Theon. That he would never return, or much worse, that he would no longer be one of us.  _ Black Wind _ was gifted to me on my fifteenth name day, and I was allowed to lead my first raid on the Seven Kingdoms and the rest is history"

 

"I see"

 

"Balon would be rolling in his grave, his two last living children at the feet of a Targaryen"

 

"We always had to pay the iron price for what we had in life. Taking the Throne of the Iron Islands with blood and iron is what he would have wanted" Tyrion gave Yara a whole new jug of wine that she downed with gusto "that we are doing it with the gorgeous mother of Dragons is only a bonus" Yara winked at Dany and drank once more.

 

"I would be careful with what I say if i were you your  _ Grace _ " muttered the sale sword in the farthest seat to the left of the dais, next to the Greyjoys. His hair was short and brown, and his skin kissed by the sun was brown compared to the Alabaster the Greyjoy's. He had very light dark armor on that chimed when he moved, and he had a dagger with the carving of a naked woman as his handle dangling dangerously from his thumb and index finger.

 

"And you are?" Yara was dangerous at her best. With wine in her only the drowned God knew what she was capable of. Theon moved his hand ever so slowly towards his short sword, better to be ready now than to lament later. 

 

"Queen Yara this is Daario Naharis, the commander of the Second Sons" the tension in the dining table was palpable. Daario was already unhappy, being shoved to the farthest corner for the salty fish that swam up to his Queen was already irritating enough. That the Queen of the salty fish flirted with his Queen and proclaimed her the queen of beauty and whatever else she had in front of everyone threw him over the edge.

 

"you would do well in remembering the name too" Daario stood up with anger, his fingers itching for an excuse to release his dagger.

 

"You'd do well to remember the Kraken's daughter sellsword. Where I come from you can be a prince or a peasant, the results for presuming you can threaten me are the same” Yara's left hand hovered dangerously over her short sword, while her right hand twirled a dark dagger to the rhythm her dangling foot was setting “Those who tread with the Kraken drown" 

 

Tyrion attempted to instruct Daario to leave the table at once, he had no lost love for the Greyjoy's or any of the iron people, but his Queen needed them, and that was enough for him.

 

"Kraken or fish, they all get skinned the same way" Theon stood as quickly as his twitchy legs allowed him and drew his sword, pointing it dangerously at the sellsword "Have I insulted you as well, guppy?"

 

Yara, lightning fast almost inhumanly, pinned Daario Naharis to the wall he initially hated getting relegated to, with her dagger pointing at his right eye. The ironborn's swords came out at once to prevent the Second Sons from aiding their commander, and Theon's sword remained steady in his hand, ready to assist his sister should she need it.

 

"Insult me again and you lose the eye. Attempt to insult my brother again, and you lose your life" her timbre was low and the threat in her voice very real. Yara Greyjoy was a dangerous woman and she was not to be messed with, neither would she allow her brother to be insulted "Pick your words carefully, ports and villagers up and down westeros fear the Queen of the Black Wind for a reason" Yara's forearm pressed the commander's throat tightly to the wall, her left hand that held the dagger never wavering from its target, mere inches away from his eye. A target that began to dislike his odds. Yara smirked, softly whispering “I highly doubt you wish to meet your god so soon”. 

 

"enough" Daenerys turned towards thee quarreling warriors "I will not have this in my hall or my presence. You are both renowned warriors, not squabbling children. Daario, you would do well in remembering your place"

 

Daario's stare turned icy when Yara smiled at him dangerously "remember your place sellsword. And remember who you are dealing with" Yara's dark dagger scratched Daario's cheek in one swift motion when she released him, leaving a deep cut that would definitely scar "something to remember me by. Your Grace if you would allow us your leave. My men and I have had a long day and we wish to return to our ships" Yara bowed low and with a wrist flicker her men began walking out of the hall "I will be available to you at first light if you would have any need of me"

 

Theon and Yara walked out with their men without another word being spoken. Dany was split between being insulted at her apparent dismissal by the Greyjoy queen and angry at the situation Daario's groundless jealousy had gotten them into. Tyrion's lesson that the Greyjoy's were different won out in her inner fight, leaving seething anger against the man cleaning the blood off his cheek.

 

"Have Daario Naharis be brought to my chambers at once, and an unsullied guard placed at the docks where the Ironborn are docked. No one enters unless they belong to the Greyjoy's party or I send word" Greyworm nodded at his Queen and instructed his second in command to post a small garrison at the docks.

 

"Daenerys..." Whispered Daario attempting to salvage the situation, but being pointedly ignored by the queen who thanked her guests for their company and retired while speaking to Missandei and Tyrion.

 

-oOoOo-

 

"I think she likes me" claimed Yara who was walking with her usual swagger towards the great battleship that was her Black Wind.

 

"I think you should consider yourself lucky she didn't cut off your head or fed you to her dragons for your insolence" corrected Theon, in his low matter-of-fact voice "leaving without allowing her to grant you leave is the height of poor manners"

 

"I spent more time raiding and pillaging than I did practicing my manners baby brother. She would grant us her leave regardless" the sway of the Black Wind's dark sails and the creaking of the ships could be seen and heard from where they had stopped. Unsullied guards were walking behind them with their spears and shields up at the ready. "Regardless of my manners, the Dragon Queen is taken by us, and that is all that matters"

 

"she doesn't have enough ships" they had counted the white sailed ships when sailing up the Slaver's bay port, around 500 that they could see from the place they had docked in. Some had clearly been sunk, split down the middle relatively close to the city, most others were small trading ships, and the few galleys they could see were in dire need of upgrading "whatever attack on Westeros she wants to mount will take a good few weeks at best, months is my best expectation"

 

"I realized that as well. But, imagine what prize I will win from her when the Lannister imp reminds her that those born to the sea are made to sail it better than anyone else" Yara's smile was almost predatory "I wonder what the cunt who threatened us will have to say then. A ship is no small gesture, a fleet of them is an even greater one"

 

"If your think..."

 

"I don't  _ think _ , Theon dearest. I expect queen Daenerys will like to see if the skills of ship making carry over to the sheets. This whole thing will be a tale to be told one day—and my hope is that it need not be told in a public place"

 

"Let's hope your over-confidence doesn’t hurt our goal then. Until tomorrow sister" Theon was finally able to relax his uptight posture while walking off to his cabin in  _ Black Wind _ . He had come a long way since first arriving to the iron islands, but it could not be expected that he had made a full recovery—Yara did not expect he ever would either. His eyes still shifted about constantly, always looking for a threat, his long limbs still twitched on occasion. This was one of his better days, but just as there were good there were also bad ones.

 

With a sigh Yara walked off towards her own cabin. Spacious and right under the helm, it was one fit for royalty, at least royalty of the sea. 

 

A large wooden desk dominated the middle of the room. On it were all the tools needed for navigation, including a map of the known world with markings pointed towards Slaver's bay from Volantis and a large jug of ale. The desk and all of the furniture that had not been built into the walls was bolted to the ground to keep it from swaying with the ship. Behind the desk was a large featherbed, with gray and dull bedding fit for the varying temperatures they might sail through. Next to it was a large chest containing her weapons and clothes, the latter of which all looked alike. Above her bed was a large banner of the Kraken of Greyjoy, made from the first ever sail her  _ Black Wind _ had sported. Finally the innermost wall held a variety of books and trinkets, all sealed shut with wooden panes; that is where Yara directed herself after shedding her armor and weapons on the table.

 

In her hands she held a large parchment, an ink bottle and a quill. When unrolled it held what appeared to be plans for a large ship. Twice the size of  _ Black Wind _ , containing 200 oars and enough space to carry a small garrison it was a remarkable piece of work. Modeled after Black Wind, the Baratheon Fury and her father's Great Kraken it was built for speed and war. She would present its designs, as well as a few others, to Queen Daenerys. 

 

Theon's best estimate that it would take months to build her a fleet to carry her large army to Westeros was correct, but it would be the greatest fleet the world had ever seen. Galleys and longships, with catapults, scorpions and even built in siege equipment on deck and enough room to hold an army and supplies. She would never show it, but Yara feared that Euron's offer would be too tempting, getting Dany the iron throne much faster. Trying to wed and bed her be damned, she had three dragons to take care of him. That had been the ultimate inspiration for the ship plans she now held in her hands. A ship grander than anything Euron and his  _ Silence _ could offer, more than Yara's  _ Black Wind _ could give her, a flag ship worthy of an unbreakable deal.

 

-oOoOo-

 

"I don't think you understand the stupidity of your actions Daario" proclaimed Daenerys once the sellsword had been dropped rather unceremoniously in her chambers by the unsullied, Tyrion shuffled past him to sit by the queen.

 

"The...the audacity of that upstart" he growled "to refer to you in such a way in a public setting. More powerful people have been punished for less"

 

"More powerful people?" If anyone had walked into the argument they would surely run out, the anger in Daenerys expression was a thing to behold "I understand that you have lived your whole life on this side of the Narrow sea and have no connection to Westeros, but I do. And if I am to take the throne I need to sail for it"

 

"We have ships. Ships you fought for, ships that can take you to Westeros" Daario could not for the life of him understand why Daenerys was putting up with the cutthroats that had been exiled for a reason.

 

"small merchant ships and old outdated galleys. They can carry an army, but they're not enough to fight for the throne" Tyrion interjected "I have no love for the people of the iron islands but the truth is they know the sea, and they know how to sail it. The formidable iron fleet is a thing to be feared in Westeros. The only one that could match it was formerly the Royal fleet, and that many years ago" A sigh followed his statement "the truth of the matter is, regardless of having one or one thousand state of the art ships we need men who can sail them, and those are Lady Yara's men, the children of the Drowned God"

 

"Damn her to hell then. We can command the ironborn without her"

 

"Half of the men under her command love her like a daughter, and the other half wish for her to spread her legs for them; the point is all the same, the respect and admiration they hold for the Queen of the Black Wind is one seldom matched" the voice that had said this with admiration turned almost angry "what do you assume will happen if she is killed? Her men will follow the Queen who sent their commander to serve their God? They may hold strength and cunning above many things, but they're loyal to a fault"

 

"So force that brother of hers to take command, you may have promised her a throne but she is clearly not fit to sit it"

 

Dany nearly snapped her neck from the speed of her movement. Whatever calm had settled in her after that dinner was lost "Not fit to sit it. You may as well join their uncle in his fight to wed and bed me and steal my birthright, I imagine that too is what he says of Lady Yara. A proven battle commander with the skill and the men to fight for her throne is far more important to my cause than a jealous sellsword who cannot grasp the seriousness of his actions"

 

"It's no secret that the ironborn don't trust Theon. What runs through his veins may be salt and iron but he spent his life in Winterfell. He has yet to prove himself enough to lead them"

 

"but my queen..."

 

"That is all I will hear from you today Daario. In the morrow I will be making my way to the docks to discuss plans with Queen Yara" this statement made Daario's face scrunch up in an angry scowl "I expect to see you there at some point to apologize to her and her brother for the tasteless remarks you made today. Blame it on jealousy over her battle prowess or your drinking, whatever it is you will apologize and learn to hold your tongue"

 

The thought of refusing was very strong, but there was clearly no point to that. Daenerys couldn't see why this was such a bad thing for her, well in reality for him. With a stiff bow he retreated from the room ready to drink his anger away.

 

"That went much better than expected" exclaimed Dany staring at her wine glass, sarcasm shining through her statement "The Greyjoys are not what I imagined"

 

Tyrion now much more comfortable without the Second Sons commander in the room stretched out on the couch. "They have always been the strange people of the seven kingdoms. Northerners have always been their own type, but no one more so than the ironborn. Be sure of one thing your grace, they will fight tooth and nail to sit you on the throne if it means Yara will sit hers"

 

"After waiting so long to begin preparing to go to Westeros it's daunting to know it's so close. Regardless of what will be needed to sail, it feels much closer than it has in a long time" Dany smiled into her cup.

 

Tyrion's expression was almost fatherly "We will sit you on that throne Daenerys. We are the children of awful men ready to make the world better. You have the army, you now have the fleet, and you will soon have the throne" Tyrion raised his cup towards her "All of us in your service believe in you, and believe in your cause. I can assure you that so do the Greyjoys, and that will be key to your reign"

 

"This puts my mind at rest. I hope Westeros feels that when fire and blood meet salt and iron the world should tremble"

 


	3. The Pretend Queen

**The Pretend Queen**

 

Queen Daenerys made her way to the docks very early the following day. Her personal guard and small council made slow progress towards the Greyjoy ships that were bustling with life. Ironborn men, who had switched their leather and cloaks attire for shirts and pants much more adept to the great heat of Meereen, were carrying provisions to and from the ships, cleaning and tying ropes and generally maintaining the integrity of their ships as best they could.

 

"Your Grace" they bowed when not burdened by cargo.

 

"Queen Daenerys" said Theon rather quietly when he ran into them on his way back from Black Wind "to what do we owe the pleasure"

 

Dany looked around with fascination. She had been born in an island and spent quite a lot of time sailing the ocean from city to city, ships were more than amazing to her "We need ships to sail to westeros, the ships we have are many but may not be enough, they're not war galleys and they will not get me the iron throne" her stare was hard "but yours will. Your people are born to sail the seas, I imagine you knew everything I told you, I also hope you have a way to fix my problem?"

 

Theon's feet shuffled, his arms twitching slightly "My sister does" he cleared his throat, knowing Daenerys had probably noticed his arm twitch "she's in the storage area. There's a small pit behind it that some of the men are using for training" Dany realized that statement meant to follow him, he turned on his heel and began walking.

 

-oOoOo-

 

Pit had been a generous description for the place the Greyjoy Queen was practicing in. While Meereen was a huge port with very large storage rooms the areas in between were minimal in order to maximize profits. The place where the ironborn were training in was a small 20 by 20 area with a gravel ground, but it was enough to hold the 4 ironborn surrounding Yara Greyjoy with daggers, short swords and spears in their hands.

 

"I wouldn't recommend that" said Theon stretching his arm to prevent Daenerys from walking into the gravel ground "Yara hates when anyone gets in the way of her training"

 

"What is this... Training?"

 

The ironborn began poking at Yara's defenses, but she refused to give ground, turning with her sword in hand, somehow looking at everyone who surrounded her all at once "She starts with one person and a short sword, as she beats them, she adds one more person. Its taken her the better part of the morning to get to 4, which is why I do not recommend you interrupt her, once she loses focus it's very hard to keep her from raging to make up the difference"

 

It was unlikely that the Queen of the seven Kingdoms would interrupt, anyways. The skills on display truly showed the reason why Yara was a warrior queen. She would block every attack with practiced and fluid movements. Three of her men lunged at her without holding back, and all three ended up on their back, knocked out by the blunt edge of the sword that still had not fallen from her hand despite most her sparring partners losing theirs.

 

The last man's lips curled up in a crude smile "Hope those pretty moves of yours don' make you think you can take me down". Despite the apparent seriousness of his statement Yara let out a huge laugh

 

"Three of your best couldn't take me down, what makes you think you can"

 

"Only the man who gave you the ability to take those three men down can humble you some" Dany raised her eyebrow. This would be interesting. She did not get to see a castellan fighting one of his students, most of the soldiers in her army had been trained by men who had been long dead or who she had killed in her takeover of the slave cities. He was a man of medium build, about half a head taller than Yara, bald and with sharp features, from what Tyrion had described to her, the ironborn who descended from the first men all shared this same look.

 

Yara's eyes narrowed and she took a deep breath, her shoulders tightened and her legs moved into a fighting stance to give her body balance, with her sword pointed at the man in front of her. He picked up his sword to test Yara's defenses, with her blocking and putting little effort, knowing the real attack was still to come. 

 

_ That sword is heavy _ , Daenerys knew little about weaponry and what it was to hold it, but she could see the weight taking its toll on Yara's right arm, her knuckles white because of her strong grip.

 

The first lunge came from the warrior queen, stepping to her left and swiping her sword with her body to knock into the man's side. His steps retreated in diagonal to keep away from the blunt sword. Gaining his footing much faster than Yara, the sword flew across the air to smack against her knee. 

 

A quick roll and a twist to face her opponent kept her away from injury and allowed her eyes to scan him for weaknesses. 

 

_ His hold is slacking. _

 

The thought ran a thousand times through her brain while her body moved. Two quick steps forward and a raise of her sword released sparks, steel clashing into steel, locking the two sword masters into a battle of brute strength to make the other lose their sword. 

 

_ I can't win here _ . 

 

She paid her treacherous brain no mind and punched her rival with her left arm to regroup.

 

"Dirty fighting Greyjoy, I would hope you had learnt better" exclaimed the man after getting his second wind. 

 

"Because I learnt better is that I fight better" was her only response, her feet never staying still. The men spectating laughed loudly, it was clear that the master himself had thought her to use whatever means to levy the odds to her favor.

 

They continued to parry, furious blows landing against each other, with fists and kicks used whenever the other would get too close. 

 

Practicing did not make this any less dangerous, Yara's right eyebrow was bleeding, blocking her right eye visibility, and her opponent had what was at its worst a broken nose that had begun to swell and turn purple. It could not have been more than a minute the speed of the fight and its ferocity severely impressed and scared Daenerys, how quick one can get maimed or lose their life to a steel kiss.

 

Yara danced away from a heavy blow that could have very well broken her skull, twisting on the ball of her feet and smacking her opponent in the back of his right knee with the blunt edge of her sword. His knee buckled under, barely holding on to his sword, understanding the precariousness of his position, knowing full well Yara understood it too.

 

Daenerys looked over at the Ironborn who gasped and yelled and cheered the fight along. Even the downed men who were now back on their feet cheered when Yara landed a good blow, their loss to her sword now seemed more a badge of honor than shameful. She could also glimpse Theon's sword arm twitching and turning to the sound of steel, she had heard from a good word that he had not held a sword in battle for a very long time which made him more admirable, the instincts of a warrior never really left you.

 

Yara's opponent raised his sword above his head to block her attack. The mere strength of the blow caused his elbow to buckle, and a swift kick to the leg that kept him kneeling left him sprawled on the ground. The ironborn cheered but Yara knew it was too soon to celebrate, a downed warrior with a sword is one that can stab you if given the time. The toes of her booth rested heavily on the man's sword hand, she wanted all her weight behind it to make him drop the sword. The sword master raised his right hand to pull on Yara's vulnerable foot to make her fall on her back, refusing to lose his sword or the fight. He did not account on Yara expecting the move. Her exposed leg raised, putting more pressure on the man's hand, the public that had increased from just the ironborn to the sailors moving merchandise gasped.

 

"I Yield!" His grip on the sword was released and Yara swiped the sword away, too far from reach. 

 

The men watching the fight cheered, some cursed, but most began commenting on the display of skill they had witnessed. Strangely enough, Dany found herself tightening her first in a form of celebration. She had been rooting for Yara without knowing, and immediately followed Theon with her eyes, who ran to clean Yara's wound.

 

"Your Grace I... Seven Hells Theon watch yourself!" The rag that he was using to clean the cut on her face had smacked her straight in the eye, adding to the already strong sting that the blood had caused "like what you see?"

 

Dany tried, very hard, to not let her true feelings shine through, but judging by Yara's smile and Theon's beam of pride when she had congratulated her on her victory it was clear she had failed, at least in some measure. In reality she had been very impressed by the level of skill and agility displayed by the Greyjoy woman. She had surrounded herself with powerful and skillful warriors since becoming a queen, and in her mind she could not say who would triumph if any one of them were to quarrel with Yara, a small part of her even believed the warrior queen could mince most of her men.

 

"To what do I owe the honor of your presence?" A small giggle escaped Missandei who was standing next to her and had gasped and cheered as loudly as any of the ironborn when Yara claimed her victory. The reason for her laughter was obvious, even raised apart and having been dealt a different hand in life the siblings were very much alike.

 

"I wished to speak with you on the matter of how we will sail to Westeros"

 

"excellent. If you would allow me some time to make myself more presentable" Yara pointed with her hand at the sweat and blood stained shirt and breeches "It would be an honor to host you on Black Wind to show you what we came up with, as well as the timescale we expect"

 

"Of course Lady Greyjoy, there are some small matters to take care of in the docks, we will meet you on your ship" Yara nodded, taking small steps and limps that clearly showed her weariness. Theon walked by her holding the bloody rag he had used to clean her cut, in case she needed a shoulder to lean on. He and Dany though knew she would not, even if she needed it, it was clearly not in Yara Greyjoy to lean on others for help.

 

-oOoOo-

 

Unsullied guards and Dany's small council climbed on board Black Wind where a much more cleaner and revitalized Yara greeted them, with the man she had beaten earlier and Theon by her side. Both of them however still sported the result of their injuries. Yara's cut was raw and her eyebrow slightly inflamed; the eyes of the man next to her had a rim of purple, and his nose was a few sizes larger at the strike area.

 

"This is Tirius Blacktyde, Castellan of Pyke and captain of  _ Leviathan _ , the second lead in our feet" Tirius gave a respectful head nod, unable to bow due to the freshness of his recently treated broken nose "Follow me" Yara turned swiftly, not once losing her footing to the small sway of the ship. 

 

_ No one can deny she is of the sea _ thought Daenerys while they followed at a more cautious pace. 

 

Her unsullied were ordered to guard the boarding plank and report back with any news that arose during the meeting. "Apologies ahead of time that the decoration of our meeting place is much less regal than what you might be used to"

 

Stepping into Yara's chamber felt like walking into her soul, every piece of furniture and decoration screamed  _ Yara _ . Daenerys' eyes lingered on the large featherbed for a split second before directing her eyes towards Tirius, who was holding her chair out.

 

"Let’s get this show on the road, shall we? Theon if you please" a small leather bound book and three large rolls of parchments were put on the table. The parchments had designs for a frigate, a longship and a galley "Your majesty is correct in assuming that, while your fleet is vast and could in all take your army across the narrow sea, it does not, for the most part, have the required equipment or design to take on a small castle, never mind large cities and strongholds such as Kings Landing or Storm's end"

 

"Our plan is to repair and equip as many of your ships as we can without compromising their ability to carry your army" Theon's twitchy fingers crossed in front of him, his gaze moving slowly from the queen to Tyrion and Missandei "we predict this will take a few weeks with good weather and proper work however—"

 

Tyrion interrupted Theon's speech "—it will not be enough. It takes far larger and stronger ships to carry catapults, and the siege weapons we will need and countless other things I don't believe any of us have thought about" Yara's nod encouraged Tyrion to continue "with the size of your crew I expect more than one are ship masters and ship hands that can divide their efforts and supervise the construction of ships. Sending for whatever materials you require to get our queen to Westeros will be made paramount"

 

"Very glad you said that" Yara took three long strides towards her cabinet next to the door and retrieved a fourth parchment "while my hope would be that your grace would make  _ Black Wind _ your flag ship, someone of your stature, and judging the size of your dragons and small council" a sarcastic smile left Yara, making Tyrion half smile and half sulk "something much bigger may be required"

 

Tirius opened the parchment Yara held and weight it down onto the table "It is a remarkable warship. An innovative design previously unseen, a combination of a galley and a longship, with two hundred oars, a powerful spitfire and solid steel cannons on the sides, rear and front, it is one ship that can be both easily spotted and clearly feared" Dany stood up to take a full look at every specification.  _ It is beautiful _ was all she could think, a ship worthy of the lead to my fleet.

 

"We have played with the possibility to expand it, but fear risking its speed" noted Yara "not a single ship on the Narrow sea will have a doubt as to who owns this and what peril faces them should they come across you in it"

 

"It is, as you put it, a remarkable design" Dany's hand traced the ship's mast, and tilted her head curiously "Does it have a name?"

 

Theon, Yara and Tirius looked at each other at the question "It is tradition that the person gifting the ship name it with his or hers recipient" heads were split between looking at Yara and Daenerys. They stared at the other, trying to look for a clue of what the other was thinking, Dany's expressionless face and Yara's smirk never changing

 

"That is all fine and well, and I believe the queens can take their time to name it at a later point" Tyrion's interruption seemed to fall on deaf ears, at least where their monarchs were concerned "How long will they take to build and how many will we need?". The silent conversation that the queens were holding was interrupted by Yara.

 

"At least 200 new ships, and heavy remanufacturing for the ones in existence. Our men will also have to construct a shipyard and a repair house to properly construct and reform the ones you already own" Dany glimpsed at Tyrion and Missandei, who were attempting themselves to think up how long it would take to construct all of these ships and places "With enough materials and support we should be done in about six months"

 

"That seems much better than any estimate we could come up with your majesty" whispered Missandei

 

Tirius leaned over to Yara who stared straight ahead while he whispered, nodding her understanding "We also believe it will be necessary to accustom your horse lords to, what I am told, they call the  _ poison water _ " Theon's eyes shifted over to Yara and then back away, almost blushing at what he knew was coming "Our people are born to the sea, not all of us are made to sail it, at least not right away. Once we land there will be no time to allow them to get reacquainted with the steadiness of the land"

 

Dany's head inclined with curiosity "How long would you believe this training to take place?"

 

"With the size of your army and the amount of ships we have that will be unmanned because of the building work I would say somewhere around five months, if we begin tomorrow" Tyrion and Missandei nodded, seeing this as a sound idea, Dany however remained more reserved "if your majesty would like, I will personally preside over the training to ensure your men's safety, and will extend an invitation to join a training exercise if it would give you any piece of mind" much happier with the elaboration of the plan, her and Yara shook hands once again, this time taking their time to really look at the other monarch in front of them.

 

Dany smiled mysteriously "I believe Queen Yara and myself can take care of any missing details of our arrangement over dinner?" Yara's eyebrows raised to her hairline, leading all the people around to almost laugh at the ironborn queen being caught off guard. Tirius and Theon glimpsed at each other, one of them scowling and one of them smiling, there was clearly something going on here.

 

"If that pleases your grace—"

 

"Perfect then. Your unsullied guard will escort you to my dining chambers in the pyramid" It took every ounce of Yara's self control to not drop her jaw at the cheekiness that Daenerys was showing her "until then. And thank you all for your work, Lord Blacktyde, Prince Theon" the men in question nodded, with Theon holding the door open for the queen and her companions.

 

Theon stretched out his palm towards Tirius when the three were left alone on the deck of Black Wind "Pay up"

 

Tirius scowled and removed a bag of coins from the pocket of his breeches "this is the last time I wager with a Greyjoy" Yara's arms crossed over her chest, her stare was hard, looking at the retreating silver hair of the Queen of Meereen and the seven Kingdoms "Not what you expected?"

 

The sails on  _ Black Wind _ were flapping softly, and the ship creaked as it swayed. Men walked around yelling curses and orders and birds flew over the ships that were docked and at the ready. And as familiar as the scene felt Yara felt almost extracted from it "Not at all" she turned towards her chambers to get her mind straight before the dinner with the queen, softly whispering to herself  _ ‘What in the name of the old gods and the Drowned God have I gotten myself into’ _

 

-oOoOo-

 

A soft knock on her door interrupted Yara's thinking. With a loud come in Theon let himself in, closing the door as quietly as possible, nearly managing to keep it from squeaking. "all is well I hope? Your guard is waiting for you at the dock" his head inclined a bit, trying to get Yara to look at him "Yara, did you—"

 

"I heard" she snapped at him "That came sooner than I expected" the silence was welcomed, it was not the silence she had been battling with since the queen had left, it was a silence that promised understanding and advice. Yara understood that despite the promise of help, they were out of their comfort zone on this one.

 

"You will take care of this as you always have" Theon's voice was charged with confidence as he helped her slip into her brown armor "pretending you know what is going on until you do" her sword belt and dagger slipped on with her brother's help "wasn't it you who assured me the queen would be so impressed with you she would–"

 

"–don't you dare finish that sentence Theon. It was a joke the first time around, at this point it is something different"

 

"The great Yara Greyjoy is afraid of dining with the Dragon Queen?" The smile that played in Yara's lips was of relief, not for the subject of the joke but for Theon, who was able to joke in the way the old Theon would have.

 

Leather boots carried Yara off the boat with Theon hot on her heels "I am not afraid of dining with her. I am very weary of what may happen if she decides to lay with the kraken instead".

 

-oOoOo-

 

_ Wine is so interest _ ing is all Dany could really think about. Its all she had been thinking about for the past... However long it had been really, she didn't know. Without really knowing, she was in a very similar situation as Yara. 

 

_ Yara. Yara. Yara. _

 

The root of her current train of thought, or lack of it. She could not understand what this was, what it meant for her thoughts to escape her so easily.

 

"Your majesty" the small voice shook her out of her stupor. Missandei's head was sticking through the door, her small smile mysterious and almost mocking "Queen Yara is being brought up the pyramid by Greyworm. Is there anything else you will need for your dinner"

 

"What do you think about her?" Missandei stepped into the room and closed the door behind her, staring at Daenerys "As a queen, as a warrior, as a person, what are your thoughts on Yara Greyjoy?"

 

"As a queen I believe that she too is trying to do what is best for her people. She understands the consequences of her uncle, who judging by the tales Lord Lannister tells is a real monster, leading the ironborn" Missandei accepted a cup of wine that was being offered by the deep in thought queen "As a warrior, she is the right person your grace should have by her side. Too many men have taken it in their mind that women are weak and need to be protected, Yara Greyjoy is the woman who breaks this and who will clearly stand by her word to fight for the throne that rightfully belongs to you my Queen" Dany nodded along, she had known all of this previously, what really intrigued her was the response to the last question "as a person, she is what we expected her to be" Missandei took a deep drink from her goblet with Dany following suit "seems very tough headed, definitely made strong by life. In more ways than one she reminds me of you my Queen" Dany's head snapped upwards when she heard that "is there anything else I can help you with your grace?"

 

"that'll be all Missandei, thank you" Dany smiled at the young woman in front of her, who nodded before getting up and leaving the room quietly. She went back to staring at her wine, waiting for the Queen of the iron islands to show up.

 

-oOoOo-

 

_ She is trying to get me drunk _ . Yara could not for her own life come up with a better conclusion. She had needed almost a goblet full of wine to pass the rich food she had been given, with four pitchers of wine on the table it seemed like the only conclusion to come up with.

 

"I hope that the food is of your liking?" Dany's tone almost sounded mocking, she clearly had noticed how much wine she had gurgled down.

 

"Much richer than I am accustomed to your grace, but it has a very good taste, thank you" Yara gulped down her goblet and set it on the table with a little more force than Daenerys was used to, which made her jump "apologies your grace, I didn't mean to startle you"

 

"No no, it is fine. One would normally assume I would be used to the noise, seeing as my former husband's people are not known for their quietness, and neither are more than half of my troops" Yara's interest piqued, making her look at Dany whose stare was hard focused on her wine "but we are not expect to get used to a place that is not our home"

 

"If your grace would—"

 

Dany interrupted Yara and looked at her not as the breaker of chains and the mother of dragons, but as the young woman she was who had been placed on too high a pedestal where not a single person dare befriend her for her, and not her power "Daenerys. My name is Daenerys. If we were to use titles I too should call you grace"

 

"Daenerys, if I could speak freely?" Yara took her relaxed hand flicker as permission "not having ever been in Westeros, why do you wish to take it so eagerly?"

 

"Because it belongs to me. It was my family's for a long time, my brother wanted it and I grew with its stories, it's now mine to take" the fact that she was going in circles didn't escape the silver queen. In reality this was the mantra she repeated to herself everyday when she drew one step closer to her departure to Westeros.

 

"So it's your brother's dream" the ironborn put down her cup and looked at Daenerys, whose head was ducked, with interest "You have power, riches, respect and the love of your people here in Meereen. What can you get in Westeros that is not already in your grasp?"

 

"I am not sure" it was so faint Yara almost thought she had imagined it. The Daenerys Targaryen in front of her was much different from the one she had met just one day prior. This was more the young queen she had expected to meet, much too young to hold all she did without breaking. "But I know I must take it. If not for myself then for everyone who has fought to get me there"

 

"Then we will help you take it, whatever the cost" Dany picked up her goblet and began a slow walk towards the balcony in her chambers, with Yara following suit "All I ask is that you find a reason better than duty. It can only take you so far, and it may even put you on the throne, but it shall not make you happy to have it" their cups came to rest on the stone railing "If ever there was a good example look at Robert Baratheon. His ambition sat him on the throne, and his unhappiness killed him"

 

"He was never meant to sit on the throne. Ruling over what is not yours can consume you, poison you until there is nothing left" Daenerys’ arms rested on the railing as she overlooked the quiet city. It almost looked like she wasn't talking to Yara, but to herself.

 

"If that were true, then why have you not been poisoned by your rule over slavers bay?" Yara's stormy gray eyes joined Daenerys' in her overlooking of Meereen "is being ruler of one place enough to allow your claim over any other? If being born into the ruling family was enough to grant you the throne's favor then your father would have never lost it" Dany turned to look at Yara quick enough to have probably hurt her neck.

 

"You are overstepping your mark Lady Yara"

 

"My apologies your grace that was not my intention" the smile that snuck into her lips said otherwise "the saying in Westeros is that the throne hates those who are not meant to sit it. A thousand swords poking at you are enough to protect the throne from those unfit" Dany and Yara turned to look at one another, with Yara's arm reaching out to brush the Targaryen queen's bare arm, making her tense up "my father told me that the swords jabbed at king Aerys so many times they were calling him king scab up and down Westeros" every word was punctuated with a small press, not enough to leave a permanent mark on the queen's pale skin, but enough to make a point.

 

"What of Robert Baratheon then. Was he as tormented by the seat as my father was?"

 

"He never sat in it enough to know" Dany's face showed the ghost of a smile to Yara's quirky nature. Her eyebrow raised as she drank from her cup, never losing sight of the Ironborn.

 

"What will be my fate on that throne. Will I be scabbed as my father was, or rule as the previous Targaryen rulers did?"

 

"The old gods forbid you should be either" Yara's hand waved away both notions "the old Targaryens held the rule of the land because they were praised, your father took that away from your name. With any luck the Lannister rule would have mucked up the place enough that an old family will be better than the crimson lions"

 

"And if it is not?"

 

"The people care for a summer that never ends, enough food to live their lives and strong children. Whoever sits on the throne matters little to them until it gets in the way of that" the chill of the desert blew past them, rustling their clothes. Yara, noticing Daenerys' goosebumps offered her cloak, a heavy black material emblazoned with the kraken of Greyjoy stitched on it in gold. It seemed to her the talk would go on for a while, and the queen was clearly not made for the colder weather "with winter approaching the losses they have faced on account of the wars will be enough for anyone to support the queen that promises to bring back the good days of peace and prosperity. With any luck your fight for the people will be much easier than our fight for the throne"

 

"To show them how much I care for the throne I too should fight for it"

 

"Forgive my insolence Daenerys" Yara's hands reached for Daenerys' free hand that was nearest to her, and turned her palm upwards "but I do not believe these hands have ever seen a fight, or picked up a weapon"

 

Their eyes met as Yara's fingers traced the lines on Daenerys' palm. The young queen had never looked so vulnerable, not since gaining her dragons and the power to truly command the life of others "show me how then. Teach me how to fight for what is mine" noticing Yara's reluctance she whispered "how can I ask men, people, you, to fight for me if I won't fight for what is mine" her eyes darkened with resolve "I need to be able to fight. For years I have surrounded myself with strong warriors to protect me, one died while fighting for my name, it is more than overdue for me to learn how to fight for me"

 

"A queen should not have to fight. That is what the people who are loyal to you are for"

 

"You too are a queen, and you fight"

 

"It is different in the Iron Islands, we..."

 

"So pretend" Dany's other hand snuck out from other the cloak to join Yara's hands "pretend I am of the Iron Islands. I may never be a great warrior, with enough skill to beat four men at once" Yara's laughter came out in a small snort at her jab "but I can learn enough to defend myself, to show people I will fight for them, and not simply let others fight for me"

 

"It will take time" Yara's resolve was weak already, the pleading purple eyes that stared at her taking care of that.

 

"As I recall my fleet will not be ready for another six months, at best. And the voyage to Westeros is quite long"

 

"It will be tedious"

 

"It is good that I have enough handmaidens to care for my aching muscles and a small council to keep me to date with my city"

 

_ She had this planned all along the cheeky little bugger _ . Yara's smile, and respect, increased tenfold. With a small nod the deal was sealed. What was in store she could not know. One thing was for sure, if Daenerys was as committed to ruling as she had been to fighting, the people of Westeros would fall to their knees for the small blonde queen in little time.


	4. The Iron Dragon

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I missed my posting dates a couple of times, so I chose to do three in a row. Also this chapter is where my user tag comes from, so I definitely had to post it!

**The Iron Dragon**

 

On its best days not one person in Meereen could say it was a calm city. There was always rustling and hustle and bustle going on. 

 

Early rising merchants and their aids and the ironborn were particularly familiar with each other's ways. The sailors because from port to port the docks were always busy in the same way, and the merchants because the sailors were never known for being quiet when going about their business.

 

In the middle of the hustle and bustle is where the queens found themselves, one half carrying the other with as much grace as one could have considering the circumstances.

 

"Well I did warn you" Yara was trying to suppress her laughter, the gods knew if she really wanted to make fun of the younger girl she would. In reality Yara was a lot more tired that she showed. Regardless of Daenerys' lack of training she had been relentless in her will to learn how to defend herself "You pushed too much for today, with any luck we will make it to  _ Black Wind _ before you faint"

 

"The possibility of starting slow always exists for beginners, you do know that?" Daenerys huffed half indignantly. Every time she thought there would be some respite and a small water break Yara would press on. They had started at sunrise and they were well into the day at this point, but the Targaryen queen wanted nothing more than to dig her face into her pillow and sleep.

 

"This is for beginners. You told me to pretend we were in the Iron Islands, this is how we learn" the Ironborn turned into the area where her ship was docked, and ordered her men to call her brother to her. "One thing in your favor is that we are known for both breaking and mending spirits"

 

"At this moment all I want to do is—"

 

"Good morning" Theon appeared behind them out of nowhere, spooking Daenerys half to dead, who used what little energy she had to shriek "or not"

 

"The others take you Greyjoy, do you not know to not sneak up on people" growled out Yara

 

"Of course I know how to" the mocking Greyjoy smile appeared on his face "But seeing the ever alert warrior queen jump out of her skin is much better than minding my manners and announcing myself". Theon, knowing any more jests would anger his sister, helped the queens up the plank to  _ Black Wind _ , and drew a bath for Daenerys who seemed about ready to drop.

 

"Seven hells" Dany's gasp was half surprise half relief "That's cold" the water inside the bath splashed to the sides as the blonde lowered herself into the freezing waters. Next to her bath was a sponge to scrub her soot covered skin, and a small bottle with a parchment that indicated it was to only be used after having dried off.

 

"Everything in order Daenerys?" Yara's head poked through the curtains of the wash room, her hair dripping at the corners from what the Queen assumed must have been her own bath.

 

"The water is freezing" her answer came half whispered. Yara did not press on, knowing it was the soothing effect of the water on the aching muscles, and Daenerys' clear lack of affinity for cold things.

 

With three steps Yara found herself kneeling behind the bath, half scrubbing and half massaging the younger girl’s back, knowing from experience the bliss one could get from the combination. She reached out for a much larger bottle with white pebbles on the cabinet behind the bath and rubbed some on the sponge.

 

Sensing that Daenerys would ask what the pebbles were she whispered "sea salt" and she let out a whimper when the salt rubbed against a particularly tender spot on her shoulder blade "like I said earlier, us Ironborn can both break and make a spirit. Sea salt is the best remedy for battle aches, and we've plenty of that"

 

"Seems like your people also have the hands to soothe those spirits" Daenerys was trying her best to sound mocking, or at least high in spirits. But Yara's hands kneading at her aching muscles made it come out as a half whispered relief "Are you as good at sailing and ship building as you are at massaging Greyjoy?"

 

"Oh no no" Yara's hands sneaked up to the base of Daenerys’ neck, relieving the tension the dragon queen did not even realize existed "At that I excel much more than this" it was almost hard to believe, considering the fact that the silver headed queen was currently putty in Yara's hands "speaking of which, we're yet to name what will soon be the greatest flag ship ever built, if you would allow my cockiness"

 

"I will allow whatever trait of yours, so long as this doesn't stop" Daenerys’ plea came out almost as a moan when Yara moved from the back of the bath to the front of it to massage the queen's feet "did you have anything in mind?"

 

"Not particularly. I imagined that it would have something to do with dragons, unless that is far too predictable?" It was the first time the teasing was not followed up with a hard stare. Yara was a lot more focused on Daenerys' whimpers and moans, and feared that if she looked up the queen would see her unbecoming blush.

 

"The thought did cross my mind" the queen accepted "but Tyrion suggested something much more interesting. The bow of the ship has ornaments, correct?"

 

"That is correct your grace"

 

"He ordered the smiths to design a dragon head, made of iron" Dany's smiled almost mysteriously "Him and I believed the best name for the ship would be  _ Iron Dragon _ " the Targaryen took pleasure in the fact that Yara was by her feet with her mouth wide open "It would also serve to cement our alliance. The Ironborn and Targaryen sailing under the  _ Iron Dragon _ would send a message"

 

"Aye" Yara seemed to be reduced to single word responses. This was clever on a whole new level. The unity of two houses would sometimes be represented by their sigils emblazoned on a single material. A ship named for two houses would send an even stronger message than a piece of cloth "You honor me and my crew with this your grace"

 

"Yara..."

 

"You do us a great honor Daenerys" the iron queen corrected. The young queen smiled at the brunette who more than ever found Daenerys' feet interesting. The possibility of teasing Yara back for the physical torture she had put her through crossed her mind, but the almost adorable reactions the Ironborn was displaying broke her resolve. Instead she sat back and enjoyed the continued massage while trying to not fall asleep.

 

-oOoOo-

 

"That's it! Now swing left and drag it with you" Daenerys followed Yara's instructions and, despite not being able to land a single blow on the ironborn Queen she did manage to keep her balance and not get dragged down by the heavy sword in her hand.

 

They had been training almost every morning for a whole month, and even though the Targaryen did not think she was making any progress, Yara was very impressed by her ability to push through despite the challenges. She had pushed the blonde to the limit of her ability, always careful to stop right before he reached Daenerys' breaking point, and by god she had pushed right back, keeping the Ironborn on her toes all the time.

 

"Perfect. I think we can stop for today" with incredible sped the sword in Daenerys’ hand dropped to the ground, picking up dirt as it touched down. "I am very glad you agree"

 

"All I want is to down as many pints of water as I can find, take a very cold bath and sleep my day away" the young Queen bent down to pick up the sword, with one hand while she rubbed her sore shoulder with the other. She was beat to it by Yara, who did not want her doing more work that she already had to "unfortunately I am the queen of this city and cannot ignore my responsibilities"

 

"It is the burden of responsibility Dany" Yara froze in her tracks after Daenerys gasped, almost fearing what would happen if she turned.

 

"The only person who ever called me Dany was my brother..." They had gone through lengthy discussions about their lives during their walks back to  _ Black Wind _ or to the pyramid; these had created an incredible sense of respect between them, for all they had gone through and still managed to come out the other side.

 

_ Well I've really buggered it up now _ , Yara's eyes closed a the thought came up. She herself had wanted to murder Viserys for everything she had put the Queen through, making her almost thankful for the existence, however brief, of Khal Drogo in Dany's life.

 

"Daenerys I'm sorry I wasn't..."

 

"No. No no, I think that it deserves another chance to be attached to better memories" the relief in Yara's posture made Dany smile, Yara always walked on eggshells around her even when her guard seemed down. The fact that at some points in her life she could slack her shoulders and smile was endearing. "I also think that the burden of responsibility comes with a lot of loopholes" Yara's head tilted to the side in curiosity of what Dany had in mind "For example, if I were to spend the day out on the water on a ship receiving training to get used to the high seas then I would not be slacking"

 

The Queens stopped moving when Yara's boots screeched on the cobblestone ground. The Ironborn set themselves as how cunning they could be, it was the mark of a great leader with the kind of things they could do for their people. That Dany could apply that to something as simple as taking a day off made Yara feel an even stronger pull towards the Targaryen. "That could work" her voice came out as small and squeaky, nothing compared to the usual confident and mischievous voice of the lady Reaper of Pyke.

 

-oOoOo-

 

Daenerys Targaryen could say with confidence that not many things in the world could hold her interest for far too long. She had seen a lot of the world and its wonders, and after having birthed, for a lack of a better word, three baby dragons she did not think much could.

 

Well, that was until Yara Greyjoy. On land, she was a skilled warrior and a woman whose mere presence commanded authority and respect. In her ship she was a whole different kind of animal. A woman who seemed one with the ocean, never losing a beat when it came to commanding the men under her, even getting respect from her Dothraki.

 

The men she was sailing with today had already been on  _ Black Wind _ , not losing their breakfast overboard, but still not able to walk across the deck without tripping and slipping.

 

Dany turned around when Yara stepped away from the helm when they had reached calmer waters "See anything you like?".

 

"I always enjoyed the ocean" Dany looked away towards the wide open blue expanse in front of her "I was named Stormborn for the storm that hit Dragonstone on the night I was born. From there I was taken across the ocean and on ships many times from city to city with my brother"

 

"I can tell" Yara set her elbows on the mast, putting her chin on her hands "you don't lose your lunch with the sway, and you can certainly walk across the ship when the others slip and trip after ever step"

 

"One time I told Viserys we didn't have to go home" Dany sighed, causing Yara to turn her head and body to look at her, inviting her to continue "that we lived just fine on this end of the world. In reality I just wanted him to let me live my life, and let me sail the world".

 

Yara's eyes went wide at the revelation. Dany always seemed like the most determined ruler, maybe her reasons for taking the Iron Throne were not the most solid, but she definitely seemed to want it enough. 

 

Imagining a Daenerys Targaryen who sailed around the world, and became a ship-hand with a fame of her own stirred something in Yara. Dany looked back at the Ironborn who was staring at her like she was meeting a whole new person, with a whole new found respect in her eyes and something else—something exciting.

 

Yara's head ducked down a bit to speak closer to Dany, making the hairs in the back of her neck stand "Would you like to try your hand at it" gray eyes met purple, agreeing to more than just sailing, something that they didn't know yet "I know you won't break her. She will treat you well"

 

"I... I"

 

_ I am not a child or a maid to be acting this shy _ . Dany was extremely exasperated with herself, but realized she really couldn't help it. 

 

"yes" she managed to squeal out, with Yara getting much closer to her, where she could feel her breath and smell the sea in her, mixed with the breeze.

 

"Come" Yara's calloused hand took Dany's smaller and much softer one in hers, pulling her to the helm.

 

_ Black Wind _ always made Yara proud. Black sails and an imposing Kraken at its bow, it was feared across the oceans of the seven kingdoms and Essos; but the helm was her seat, or wheel, of power. 

 

A custom made wheel, of black wood with carvings she had made across the years, and a golden kraken in the spindle hole. Three of the spokes on it were much different and a lot more intricate than the others. One was of a woman whose arms were crossed over her chest holding a dagger. The next was a man with a crown of wood and algae, a scowl deeply set on his face. Finally, a girl whose face had a melancholic feel to it and whose crossed arms held a short sword. Dany's hand came to rest on that final spoke, her fingers tracing the carvings on the girl's face, making Yara smile.

 

"These are beautiful" Yara stood behind her, putting her hands on two spokes that were not carved, steering the ship slowly as she swayed in the water while her men gave instructions to the Dothraki on how to help once they actually set sail. "Did you carve these?"

 

"My only escape was sailing when my father began going even more crazy" Yara took Dany's hands under her own, helping her get a feel of how she swayed "When  _ Black Wind _ was given to me, her wheel was very damaged after our first landfall on Westeros. The last thing we took on board before sailing back home was a large crop of black wood. After fixing her up a large chunk of wood was left" Yara's left hand moved from Dany's to the carving of the Kraken "Tirius took me to the ship master and he helped me make a wheel I could use easily. Thinking it had to be my own I worked day and night to carve a Kraken onto it. I was only on my fifteenth name day which meant it was not the best of carvings, but it was not the worst"

 

"It is far better anything I could carve" Dany's face scrunched up in concentration when a wave made the wheel slip from her grasp, being slowed by Yara who directed her hands back to the spokes.

 

"After I installed the wheel I began carving what made me who I am, so I began with myself" Yara's hand shifted to the carving of the melancholic girl "My mother, who had died when a northern man stabbed her was next. She had made me determined to be strong and be feared" Dany held the wheel by herself while Yara stood to the side, watching her like a hawk to make sure she would get any help if she needed it "the last was my father. Despite his anger, he pushed me to be Ironborn, and to win all my victories by the steel of my sword and the strength of my ship"

 

Daenerys understood that, probably better than anyone. Every single trial she had to overcome to get to the helm of  _ Black Wind _ had made her who she was. All the good, like her dragons, and the bad, like every loss she had to suffer, got her there. It almost made her wish for a place of her own to carve her story like Yara was doing with Black Wind's wheel, a piece of her that would remain after she was gone.

 

"Careful my queen" Yara's hands came to rest at her waist, shifting her with a lot more softness than Dany thought the Ironborn was capable of "if you do not have enough balance the waves will throw you, and the wheel off.  _ Black Wind _ will treat you well so long as you know how to handle her"

 

Despite who would ever be in Yara's life, Black Wind was the only her who would always take the stage, like Dany's dragons would—

 

"I have to show you something, when we head back home"

 

"You heard the queen!" Yara yelled at her crew, who began moving about with help from the sea clumsy Dothraki "let us go home"

 

-oOoOo-

 

"Am I allowed to know where I am being taken now?" Yara was trying not to get angry. She really was. But she had been dragged up and down the city for a long time now. Wearing a heavy cloak and leather in the Meereenese heat was making her irritable, all the walking was not helping.

 

"Patience Yara, patience" this only made the Ironborn huff and the Targaryen giggle "someone who sails should have patience. Imagine you are at sea"

 

"It does not feel like the fires of the seven hells are licking at my skin when I am sailing" the answer was almost grumbled, but still managed to reach the ears of Daenerys who rolled her eyes.

 

"Well you are sailing through the fires of hell then. In any case, we are almost there" Yara had lost track of where they even were. Twists and turns and a lot of being bowed to by the people of Meereen to the blonde queen who was leading her around made her turn off her brain for a second, only focusing on the hand that was holding her own. Small and soft and warm—and very distracting. 

 

_ Quit it Greyjoy, she is your queen not a whore. _

 

They came to stop at the base of the large pyramid, where a small garrison of unsullied stood by a large round door made of stone. The ground here was much warmer, Yara could feel the heat of it seeping through her leather boots. Something lived there, something that enjoyed a heat greater than that of the weather in the bay city.

 

Dany directed, with a wave of her hand, that the door be open. The silence inside was daunting, something was lurking in there, and as fearless as Yara was every single one of her instincts was telling her to stay out.

 

"You gave me a chance of treating with your most precious companion" The small hand Yara had enjoyed holding just a few minutes past was now pulling her toward her doom, or so she felt "allow me to return the favor"

 

Finally the pieces clicked in Yara's head, as her hand came to rest in the pommel of her sword. Daenerys was dragging her to meet the ship sized lizards that breathed fire. 

 

Yara no longer believed she had made an impact in Dany enough to create something more, at this point she thought all Dany wanted to do was see her dead.

 

-oOoOo-

 

"Drogon. Viserion. Rhaegal" the names echoed around the cavern while Daenerys lit up the larger torches hanging on the wall. Yara stopped moving at the edge of the steps, hand at the ready to pull her sword, knees bent ready to run up the steps and never again look back. How the Targaryen had gotten her to actually move down the steps did not register, all that she could think about was the clinging and slithering of something, or various somethings, moving about the mostly darkened cave.

 

"Wh...wh...where are they" Yara stammered out, doing her best to put up some bravado, and failing miserably if the giggle that came out of Daenerys was to be the judge of that.

 

"You've nothing to worry about Greyjoy. Unless you mean me harm they will not hurt you"

 

The classical Greyjoy wit was but a step away from lashing back to Daenerys when the largest lizard face Yara had ever seen came out of the shadows. Drogon's black scales shimmered with the light, the darkness making his eyes and more importantly for Yara's wellbeing, his menacing teeth, look a million times more dangerous. Well, that was until Daenerys followed up his scary entrance with petting his snout, making him nearly purr with pleasure.

 

"As I said, he will not harm you, unless you mean me harm. Now come here. And take your hand off that sword" Dany extended her hand towards Yara while the other two dragons slid past; equally menacing and both demanding attention from their mother "I do not bite either. Give me your hand"

 

Yara looked down at her right hand as if it was the last time she would ever see it. She took two steps towards Dany extending her hand towards her and inevitably towards Drogon. "That is my only good right hand" trying to insert humor into the situation helped, but not by much. The large dragon understood what his mother wanted of him, and ducked his head to smell the palm of the hand that was being put in front of him.

 

"He will not bite now, unless you refuse to pet him" Yara's gray eyes grew wide with fear. Drogon's black scales rattled as he moved his snout under Yara's hand. The fearless Ironborn queen looked like a scared little girl approaching a dog for the first time, and despite the ferociousness of Drogon he relished under her touch.

  
  


**_Dany was narrowly avoiding any desire to skip excitedly. After such a long time she had finally convinced Daario of getting to know her dragons. She believed that any person she could be fond of her dragons would like. With no better judges of a good character, she believed it would be the ultimate way to decide Daario's worthiness._ **

 

**_He had spent most of the walk towards the base of the pyramid speaking to himself, trying to convince his own brain to give him courage to face the great big flying iguanas living under their feet; he really was not succeeding either._ **

 

**_With all the posh she could muster, Daario and her entered the large cave that held her children, torch in hand. Rhaegal, who seemed to be the only one of the three awake was waiting for them at the base of the steps. His big yellow eyes stared at the queen suspiciously, something she was not used to, or had expected._ **

 

**_"Rhaegal..." Whatever she had wanted to say got cut off by his snapping and growling. Daario instinctively reached out to hide Daenerys behind his back, hand on his Arakh._ **

 

**_Before Dany could move an inch Viserion stepped out from the shadow behind Daario, lighting the air above his head on fire, he spun around trying to swing at whatever was attacking him, giving Rhaegal the opening to step around Daenerys, hanging his wing above her head protectively._ **

 

**_"What in the name of the seven gods is wrong with them" Daario was pinned against the staircase, with both dragons snarling at him. Drogon, who was even less visible in the darkness than his green and bronze siblings roared when the commander of the second sons tried to step towards Daenerys._ **

 

**_"Drogon no!" What in any other moment could have been a commanding woman seemed like a small scared child. She could not understand why her dragons were having such a violent reaction against the man._ **

 

**_One thing was for sure, she would not ask another to see her dragons, not unless they were the last thing they would ever see._ **

  
  


Or so she had thought. Because unlike Daario, Drogon was taken with Yara, who had upgraded from petting his snout to scratching the scales between his eyes. The fearless beast of legend who had killed to protect her was now enjoying Yara's ministrations, growling softly.

 

"I think he likes m—what in the seven hells" Rhaegal and Viserion snapped into view, but not in a threatening manner, more like a sibling who wanted what its other sibling was getting. In a heartbeat Rhaegal was demanding the attention of Yara' other hand, while Viserion began demanding the same treatment from Daenerys.

 

"I think they all like you" Daenerys scratched Viserion absentmindedly while staring at Yara. In an ironic fashion she was looking at Yara in the same way Yara had looked at her when she had told her about sailing. This Yara was completely different from the one that had come in bound to her presence, this Yara was different in a whole new and even better way.

 

"Well I like them too, they're all wonderful" slowly she stopped scratching the dragons in front of her to step back and admire their magnificence. Daenerys stepped up to stand next to her. It was a proud moment for Daenerys when someone other than herself could admire and appreciate her dragons. Sure her small council thought them useful and magnificent, living legends that the world had not seen for a long time. Her enemies and easily swayed allies all feared them, as they should. But no one really shared the level of love and respect Daenerys held for them, until Yara. The thought that this woman was very special Dany could not shake, the fact that her dragons clearly agreed with her really made her consider what this meant for her, both a a ruler and a person.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always screeches, kudos and other comments are welcomed!


	5. Silence

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Because finals are coming up and real life demands my attention, this will be the last upload for a couple of weeks. Hopefully I'll come back full steam with 2 new chapters done for the sequel and be ready to get this thing rolling! (I was hoping to finish this and the sequel before the end of the series, but it's looking less and less likely)

**Silence**

 

Daenerys had taken it upon herself to spend more and more time with the Ironborn. Their morning training was usually followed with a meal to kick start their day. Yara would disappear for some time to supervise the building of Daenerys' ships while Dany handled the matters of the city with Tyrion and Missandei. After that they would take a small lunch together, followed by Dany getting sailing lessons while her Dothraki became accustomed to the sea. On the way back they would either visit the dragons or the market and head to the small council chamber to discuss the plans for the invasion of Westeros. After that they would take supper and Yara would head to  _ Black Wind _ to be briefed on the state of her crew and ships by Theon, who was getting more and more acquainted with managing the fleet. 

 

Today however their perfectly made schedule was interrupted by Tyrion, Greyworm and Varys intruding on their lunch.

 

Varys with his soft padding on the floor led the charge "A thousand apologies my queens" he bowed deeply and moved to a spot where he could easily observe both of their reactions "the matter we bring to your attention could not wait until our regularly scheduled meeting"

 

"No apology is necessary" Dany, who was clearly the least annoyed of the two queens, responded. Yara's eyes narrowed, waiting for the piece of news that was oh so important.

 

"It seems your uncle's ship,  _ Silence _ , has been spotted heading down to the doom of Valyria, with two hundred longships of the iron fleet in tow" the soft melodious voice did nothing to clench the sense of doom and dread that was building up in Yara. Last time  _ Silence _ had been spotted anywhere he father had died and she had been forced to run away from her own home, with her tail between her legs.

 

"How sure are you that it was my uncle?"

 

"With all due respect, your grace" Yara's title slipped out of Tyrion with as much dread as he could possibly add to it "while it is possible that our scouts might have spotted a ship that was only similar to  _ Silence _ there is no mistaking the two hundred Kraken sails the other ships have. It is definitely Euron and the Iron fleet"

 

"We estimate it will take them at least two months to arrive to slaver's bay. The trip is a short one but coordinating two hundred long ships is a massive undertaking" Tyrion's hands crossed in front of him, almost indicating that that was the last piece of bad news that he had brought with his party.

 

"Greyworm, reinforce the security around the bay, and inform the other cities to keep an eye out for the Iron fleet. If that is all, queen Yara and I have a lot to discuss, we will see you later" 

 

With nods, bows and grudging protests the three led themselves out, leaving Yara and Dany, who were both worried in their own ways.

 

Before Yara could say anything, Daenerys got the ball rolling "How fast are our ships being built?"

 

Naturally being a suspicious person, Yara's anger began surfacing "as fast as they can" her cup smacked against the table, spilling wine everywhere and startling Daenerys.

 

"How fast?"

 

"We remain on schedule. If what you want is to draft in the Ironborn that are coming in with my uncle have the courtesy of letting me know so we have enough time to leave Meereen. Your Grace" Yara followed her angry statement with a stiff bow, and turned on her heel, seething with anger ready to head to  _ Black Wind _ , courtesy be damned. What she did not notice was Daenerys breezing past her to block the only exit. 

 

"Sit"  the authority behind her voice left Yara absolutely no room for argument. She reached for the nearest chair and flopped down on it. What she could do was scowl deeply "Do you doubt my word?" Despite her own anger Yara could not help but notice that standing there, arms crossed Dany cut a very imposing and powerful figure, it was electrifying for the Ironborn to see this side of the dragon queen. 

 

"I doubt you can wait just a little bit longer to set sail when my uncle will bring you closer to Westeros faster than I can" Yara did not really believe a word she was saying. The Gods knew if Dany really was impatient she would have set sail with all the ships available, limitations to her ability to take Kings Landing with them be damned. The truth however would not stop her from lashing out.

 

"I have waited all my life to go back home. What makes you think I can't wait a couple more months to leave" Dany was trying to not sound exasperated. She understood Yara's fear that the advantageous position might sway her, any other ruler might have been swayed; she had hoped Yara would know Dany was not like that. 

 

_ She knows.  _ Yara's mouth of course moved much faster than her brain could, and she immediately regretted what was coming out of it "It was not your throne for most of your life. Now that it is it might be that more tempting to get to it faster" the silence and tension between them was palpable. 

 

The queens were staring at each other with a mix of anger and resentment. Yara knew she was in the wrong, but at this point she could not back down. Dany for her part knew the words were not honest, at this point Yara was showing her how vulnerable she was. This was the scared girl in Yara, who had grown up too fast and had been betrayed one too many times, and for that reason she could not show weakness, despite how hurt she felt at the thoughtless words coming out of the Ironborn that at this point had become one of Daenerys' confidants.

 

Dany took a deep breath, making sure that her anger would not show "It might not have always been my throne" Yara could not help but gulp at the sight of the queen's amethyst eyes turning a very dark shade of purple "but it has always been my home. My family's home. That did not change at any point" her fists tightened, almost making think Yara she was about to get shown the error of her ways by force, not that she would blame the Targaryen at all. Dany's expression however shifted to a much softer one "I understand why you are worried. But you have nothing to fear here"

 

"You are not the first one to promise that and you will not be the first one to lie" Yara stood slowly from her seat, trying to make Daenerys understand that she would not try to storm off again "and the offer is certainly tempting"

 

"The offer carries a marriage I do not wish to a man I highly dislike. I much prefer the current offer" Yara's scowl softened, she had really just wanted confirmation, something that would show her this was the right place to be. Dany took care to move very slowly as she approached the previously angry monarch, knowing any wrong move might set her off "and, what is a few more months really. I have waited 22 name days to go back home, rushing into the situation at this point can only hurt my chances" Yara's chuckle cleared the rest of her way. Reaching her arms around the Greyjoy.

 

Yara froze in place, not really knowing what to do. This was not something that you did in the iron islands. She could only remember a few times her mother had done this, and then those might have just been dreams. The silver haired queen tucked her head under the surprised Ironborn's chin, her arms slowly lifting to land in the queen's back, tightening the hug.

 

"I promise, you've nothing to fear with me Yara" her voice was a whisper, muffled by Yara's breastplate, but her intended target had received the message; it was also very unlikely she would move from her spot to clarify, she was enjoying this hug way too much for something that trivial to get in the way.

 

Yara for her part sighed contently, getting the full blown smell of the queen. Jasmine and something else, something that was purely Daenerys, that was doing its job of keeping her there, not wanting to fight her anymore, or fight anyone if it meant she could stay there. Her right hand pulled back to the queen's waist making circles on the exposed skin, her left resting on her forearm.

 

Dany took a small step back, searching for the stormy gray eyes that now had lost all their anger, and only held interest. Interest in the dragon queen that had at one point looked larger than life and now felt small and frail, like a precious treasure that needed to be protected. Something seemed to pull them when their eyes met, an invisible string much stronger than anything they had been feeling since they met. Instinctively Dany's left arm reached to Yara's neck, her right still in between them, resting on the kraken on the Greyjoy queen's armor, Yara's left hand cupping Dany's chin softly. Dany could smell the sea in Yara, the breeze and the salt and the smell of the oak  _ Black Wind _ was made of; it was intoxicating, distracting and magnetic. 

 

Unknowingly a small voice inside both of their heads was asking to stop before it was too late, but the voice was quieted by the much stronger one that said it was now or never. Taking the initiative, Daenerys pulled Yara' face down to meet her own, their lips meeting after what had felt like an eternity. A moan escaped Dany's mouth when Yara pulled her closer, the hand that had been resting on her cheek was now tangled in her hair, making sure the queen would not go anywhere. 

 

"My queens I..." Missandei, who had the unfortunate luck of being the first of the small council through the door let out a small squeal and froze in her tracks, stopping everyone else from crossing through the door.

 

Dany and Yara jumped away from each other. Yara's arms flopped down to her sides, and Dany hugged her own body, the fingers lingering on her lips. Missandei understood and kept walking as if nothing at all had caused her to stop on her tracks.

 

"Good evening once again my queens. Once again, deepest apologies for the interruption earlier" Varys moved across the room, staring at Dany and Yara who for the first time since they had started combat training were standing as far from each other as politeness allowed.

 

"It is a priority for us to be informed of developments like those Lord Varys, there is no need to apologize" Dany was the first of the two to regain her senses, moving towards her seat and noting Yara's much slower reaction when sitting to her right. "Are there any news on that front"

 

"Not that we are aware of your grace" Tyrion, who as always was carrying a cup of wine in his hand, gazed at the ironborn. Assuming that her conflicted face was due to the news of her uncle approaching he offered her a cup from the nearest wine decanter. Their ongoing bickering made Yara weary of Tyrion's generosity, but nevertheless the need to quiet her thoughts overwhelmed her hatred for the family of the dwarf. 

 

Last to sit was Daario, whose bad habit of touching the Targaryen queen made Yara squeeze both the pummel of her sword and the base of her cup. Every single  _ my queen _ that came out of him was met by the infamous Greyjoy scowl. 

 

"Please continue the good efforts you have carried out every day and keep myself and queen Yara posted on the position of Euron Greyjoy's fleet. You are all dismissed" Yara went out of her way to avoid the purple eyes of the queen. Daenerys in her normal stoic manner did not display the annoyance she was feeling, but by the old gods and the new Yara would hear it from her.

 

"I will assure my little birds keep singing their songs my queen" Varys bowed deeply and retreated from the room as fast as his noiseless steps would carry him. Missandei and Greyworm followed suit, leaving Tyrion, Yara, Daario and an annoyed Daenerys behind.

 

"Daenerys is it possible we may speak?" Daario's proximity to Yara continued to enrage her, making it much easier for Tyrion to drag her out of the room, making apologies for both of them.

 

"You are not very good at masking your feelings Greyjoy" Tyrion's wobbling legs kept to speed with Yara's stomping steps "unfortunately for you it does not get any easier, not with her"

 

"I have no idea what you mean Lannister" a passing servant took Yara's empty cup away while she continued on her path towards the balcony that looked out to her ships.

 

"But you do. You understand that there will always be someone" fortunately for Tyrion the decor of the large balcony included a set of stone steps to look at the city. He stood there playing with his cup on the stone railing "people like her will always have someone. And someone of her age with the burden of her crown is more likely to have many people who want the same attention you do" 

 

"The only attention I am claiming from Queen Daenerys is the one that gets me my throne back and good treatment for my people, nothing more" looking towards the harbor made her smile, thinking of Theon hard at work. Her little brother had improved much since their arrival to Meereen. It seemed like the Greyjoy siblings had both found something far from home that made them feel like home. 

 

"You can live in denial for your whole life, or you can admit to yourself that given the chance you would have tossed Daario Naharis out a window" Tyrion took a swig from his cup when the sullen queen smiled with the image of the commander of the second sons getting out of her way. "In either of those cases the answer for you is the same. Queen Daenerys is not an easy woman. But she is worth the effort if she thinks highly of you" with his tasks accomplished he stepped off the stone steps, whistling a tune that sounded like  _ The bear and the Maiden fair _ to Yara, making her smile more.

 

_ He's not wrong _ Yara signed and turned towards the balcony once again, hoping for the sea to give an answer to her questions.

 

-oOoOo-

 

Daenerys gave her back to the silent man in the room. There were too many things going on in her life in addition to her queenly duties, she did not need Daario barking up her tree as well. At the moment her thoughts did not remotely land on what Daario had asked of her, rather on the queen that had stepped out of her room grasping the pommel of her sword hard enough for her knuckles to turn white.

 

"Daenerys?" Daario's hands landed on her shoulders softly. He had known he would thread in very dangerous territory by keeping the Queen from her regular duties for a personal reason, but considering all the time she had been spending with the fish Queen he really had not had a better choice.

 

Daenerys turned on her heel and looked up at the handsome man in front of her "I do not understand exactly what you are asking of me" his face reflected that Dany's answer was not what he wanted to hear "you are the commander of one of the largest groups of my army"

 

"And yet my trust seems to not be enough for you" his hands retreated to his sides angrily "ever since the pirate queen arrived I have not been seeked for my council; and I have not seen the inside of your private chamber since either"

 

Dany buffed at Daario's childish anger. In typical manly fashion he thought their relationship was more than simply fun for the queen "your council will be sought when needed. As far as I know you have no naval experience nor have you ever been in my home land" Dany raised her right hand to stop him from speaking "as for the other matter, you would do well in remembering that I am your queen" her stare was hard and cold "you will be called upon when needed. Currently you are not needed"

 

Daario wanted to protest. If Yara and her brother had never shown up he would still be Dany's most trusted battle commander, and he would still bed her when she would have need of him. Instead he was on the wrong side of the stare he had seen other men receive time and time again when they had angered her. It was definitely not the way he had seen this going when he had asked for some of her time. 

 

"Yes my queen" he bowed low and began retreating out of the room, only to be stopped by Dany calling his name. Thinking she might have changed her mind he looked at her with the most charming smile he could put up.

 

"You will learn how to respect queen Yara unless you want to find another queen to serve" his face dropped. Refusing to her face was a death sentence, but accepting her terms would be murder to his honor. "Are we clear on this?" The man who had once said he had found himself between a rock and a hard place probably never had to face odds like these. He nodded when it was clear the Queen would lose her temper and left the room as quickly as his legs would take him.

 

-oOoOo-

 

The following morning Yara had sent her apologies for her absence to the queen who had been getting ready for their usual morning training. The new demand for the ships to be built faster required additional attention from the leader of the ironborn, requiring that she cut short their lessons for the week.

 

Slightly miffled, Dany had Tyrion take her to the metalsmiths who had been working on a series of assignments for her. 

 

The meereenese dropped his molding hammer and bowed when Daenerys crossed his door. Chants of  _ mhysa _ following her through the door.

 

“ _ My queen” _ the man spoke a heavily accented common tongue, but still made his devotion shine through.

 

“Please rise. I hope I am not interrupting your work” Dany looked around at the swords and armor hanging from the walls of the very dark establishment. Some were simple but clearly of good quality, and others had intricate designs on them.

 

“No my queen. I've what your lord requested” he directed the Lannister dwarf and the Targaryen queen to the back of his shop where two wooden boxes and a large crate awaited. “The crate has the ship ornament. I thank you my queen for allowing me to craft this for you, and to be able to observe the magnificent dragons”

 

“There is no need to thank me. I should be thanking you for all your hard work” Dany smiled at the man who beamed at her praise. Two young men carried the boxes towards her and Tyrion, opening them for the queen and her hand to examine them up close. Dany gasped when she first saw the contents of the boxes in front of her. Reaching her hand to lightly touch both objects.

 

“Your grace’s crown was much easier to make. Due to the specifications of the other one it is much less intricate” The man realized that her attention was absorbed by the objects in the boxes, so he took a step back and basked in the glory of the queen admiring his work.

 

The crowns laying in the boxes were beautiful. The box to the left had Daenerys’ crown. A silver and gold ring with an arch in the middle, in it a dark translucent scale that belonged to drogon. The rings base material was silver, and the gold was used to create carvings of fire and two dragons on the temples. The crown’s arch was surrounded by smaller raises from the main ring, formed as silver flames with gold engravings. 

 

It was an incredible contrast with the crown on the other box. Because of the traditions of the iron islands Tyrion had specified that driftwood and other things from the sea be used, and the metalsmith had delivered. The crown was much darker and tougher looking. Two rings of black gold and walnut wood were connected by a small steel kraken. The rings were loosely tied together by dried algae and strips of boiled leather at the temples, that had small engravings of sea shells and krakens. The crown looked much heavier and tougher than Dany’s ornate crown. To her it was fit for someone like Yara.

 

“They are beautiful” the young men closed the boxes and carried them off to the waiting unsullied while their mentor spoke to the queen.

 

“We appreciate all your hard work, and the work of the armorer's on the large order of weapons” Tyrion led the walk outside back to the front shop where hammers and furnaces were hard at work. The man led them out the door, constantly indicating that he would send for Tyrion as soon as her full order was complete or if more material was needed.

 

Dany’s gaze lingered on the Unsullied who were carrying hers and Yara’s crowns off and then the unsullied carrying the crate to the docks, before turning to Tyrion “Thank you” her voice was much less imposing than usual, it felt more genuine to the man who had carried out her wishes to the best of her abilities.

 

“It was no trouble my queen” his hands crossed behind his back he began the walk towards the pyramid with Daenerys by his side “all that is left is for you to present this to Yara Greyjoy”

 

“Much easier said than done” she sighed with almost a hint of sadness “it appears she will go out of her way to avoid meeting alone with me”

 

“It takes some nerve to avoid the dragon queen” however mocking his statement was, Tyrion punctuated it with a smile to show Dany he understood her pain “northerners are stubborn, but they are also dutiful. In time Yara will relent”

 

“If only it were that easy” Dany’s eyes made a path towards the clear blue skies above her, hoping for any kind of answer to the question that was Yara Greyjoy.

 

-oOoOo-

 

“You know it is impossible to avoid her forever” Theon had been following his sister up and down  _ Black Wind _ all morning. She had locked her cabin the night before, and rose before the sun to check on the progress in the shipyards. At this point he had become very good at the game of hunting Yara, but it was also starting to annoy him.

 

“I can definitely try” she climbed to the helm, making sure to avoid a collision with the dock, Theon hot on her heels “it would be very kind of you to stop following me”

 

“It would be very smart of you to start acting your age” he lashed back at her angrily. They were not the most reasonable people in the best of times but this was getting ridiculous “this woman can force you to her chambers and make you bow to her every will if she so chooses. Acting as though you are dealing with any commoner is irresponsible and ridiculous Yara”. The Greyjoy queen looked at her little brother like it was the first time she was seeing him. The man who had arrived to Pyke broken and defeated had little resemblance to the one who was standing before her, arms crossed and steel gazed.

 

“I cannot allow her to distract me from my duties. Building ships, training men, that is what we came here for and that is what I have selectively avoided”

 

“I have been taking care of that with Tirius” Theon reclined against the railing behind the wheel, knowing Yara would have no choice but to look him in the eye “what happened?”

 

Yara rubbed her eyes and sighed before answering her brother “Euron is sailing up Valyria, two hundred ships strong” Theon’s eyes narrowed. His right hand raised to his hair “Daenerys claims her support is completely behind us, and I believe her. Nevertheless we must get her to Westeros before Euron can secure his position with the current rulers”

 

Understanding shone on Theon’s eyes. If the need to construct the ships at speed before was immense, it was out of this world with the news of Euron approaching Meereen.

 

“Yara. Theon” Tirius ran up the steps of the helm nearly breathless. His eyes wide with fear, not for himself but for the girl he had seen grow into a leader and the man he had come to respect.

 

“What is it?” the Greyjoys felt their insides churn angrily when Tirius pointed his finger towards the open waters. 

 

Amidst the blue was a small speck, growing larger as it approached them. Looking through the offered spyglass Yara tightened her fists. A large ship with black ripped sails and a deck that shone red with the sun, a woman made of darkened steel at the prow. A lot of ships looked alike, but none compared to  _ Silence _ .

 

“Call the unsullied. Order the men to their ships and lock the shipyards. Let's go” Yara yelled the orders out as she ran out of  _ Black Wind,  _ Theon and the Unsullied guard hot on her heels. 

 

-oOoOo-

 

“DAENERYS” Tyrion ran into the queen’s chamber with Missandei right behind him. Dany was standing on the balcony with Greyworm and Yara, pointing and coordinating moves.

 

“How did this happen?” The Targaryen queen was angry beyond measure, the ship with the dark sails and the red deck was sailing up their port, getting ready to be welcomed by a large garrison of unsullied. “you told me they were a ways away”

 

“It seems Euron is much smarter than we gave him credit for. He had the wind and took the chance to sail alone to secure his alliance before bringing the fleet” Theon and Tirius stepped into the balcony carrying two large wooden boxes.

 

“What do we do now?” Tyrion as usual had a cup in his hand, ready to give himself into alcoholism

 

Dany’s smile was almost predatory, Euron Greyjoy would learn that a dragon was not to be messed with “We invite him in of course”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> P.S: Follow me on tumblr! I always love to get opinions on my stuff! @theirondragonrants


	6. A Miracle

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I said 2 weeks, but I felt it was more in character to leave you all with a cliffhanger while I come back. Yes, I am that asshole, I'm only a bit sorry!
> 
> Important notes: 1) There's a character that will feature here that the show won't use, and likely will never even bring up now, so I took A LOT (Read, A helluva lot) of creative liberty with him. 2) The events in Westeros are gonna leak in here because it helps explain the alliances that are coming up. Hopefully it doesn't feel too yanky!
> 
> That being said, off we go!

A Miracle

 

_ Blood, there’s so much blood _

 

_ Dany was in shock. How had their perfectly laid out plan ended like this? All around her was chaos and yelling, men attempting to shake other men, someone was kneeling in front of her, trying to stop the blood from seeping out of the body on the floor.  _

 

_ Dany looked down at her hands and clothes, stained bright red. _

 

_ Blood, so much blood _

 

_ - _ oOoOo-

 

Daenerys and Euron were two very different rulers. At no time was this more obvious than at their first meeting. After being introduced as the King of the Iron Isles, King of Salt and Rock, son of the sea wind and Lord Reaper of Pyke the tall, dark haired man dressed in typical ironborn leathers and mail swaggered in, a crown of driftwood and algae on his head. 

 

His hands were resting on the pommel of his longsword and he carried himself as though the world owed him the unrelenting allegiance his brute strength demanded. Daenerys on the other hand commanded respect by her regality. Sitting atop her throne, wearing her silver and gold crown, with her small council standing behind her, she was every inch a powerful queen, that without having to mention all her titles.

 

Euron and his men bowed their heads towards the silver queen, letting Euron begin the talk “Queen Daenerys” it was clear he was trying to show some kind of stature. The amount of iron born trying to crowd into the room was enough to make her nervous. She heard Missandei whisper with Greyworm that there were at least 50 men when she realized the so called king had addressed her.

 

“Lord Greyjoy” it occurred to Tyrion that if the lack of mentioning his title of king did not give away the fact that Daenerys was not impressed, nothing in the world would, unless throwing him out the window was an option.  

 

“We’ve come to bring you a way to reclaim your  _ rightful _ throne” he flashed a smile to Dany, assuming half the battle was won “while you have a large standing army, and from what we have heard three very large dragons, you lack the naval force to transport them across the narrow sea and take Westeros’ port cities” he shifted his feet to make his pose much more intimidating “I bring you that and our battle prowess”

 

Dany kept her unreadable face while answering Euron as monotonous as possible “If you noticed I've ships aplenty and no lack of experienced battle commanders” Greyworm and Daario sat just a little straighter to make sure Euron could see he had nothing to offer “What could you possibly offer that they cannot?”

 

The man in Euron’s entourage that had on a large kraken shaped helm stepped next to the would be king. He was a good ways larger than the ironborn king, wearing full body armor with a black Greyjoy cloak over his shoulders. He removed his helm and spoke clearly “You’ve fishing vessels and merchant ships. They may carry you and your army though it may be a tight fit, but they will not help you win the throne” Tyrion leaned in his seat, Dany noted that he clearly knew the man “In addition to the fact that your battle commanders are not of the sea. You will be crushed before landing without our help”

 

Dany waited for Tyrion to tell her who the man was, but he was clearly trapped in his own mind “and you are?”

 

“Apologies your grace. Victarion Greyjoy, Lord Captain of the Iron Fleet”

 

Tyrion shifted back into his seat and gave his full attention to the younger Greyjoy “Lord Victarion, we were unaware of your support for your  _ exiled _ brother’s claim to the salt throne” the emphasis on exiled had of course not been a mistake. If ever there was a time to poke at the ages old rivalry it was now.

 

“I was not present at the time of the kingsmoot. However with my brother and his children dead” his explanation was interrupted by the men behind him saying  _ what is dead may never die _ “I had no want to claim their tomb. Euron won the kingsmoot and I as his younger brother will support the claim”

 

The ghost of a smile graced Tyrion’s lips for many reasons. For one it seemed that Euron had spun a tale of royal murder to any captain that had not been present in Pyke when he had usurped the crown; Victarion was a smart battle man, but clearly not a smart person. The scene was also awful familiar of a time long gone. Of a younger brother supporting his unfit to rule older brother, a tale that of course ended with tragedy 

 

_ He is as honorable and dimwitted as Stannis Baratheon _ .

 

Dany realized what Tyrion had been doing, and continued to spin the tale “What is it you want for your help with our naval predicament?” 

 

Victarion and Euron looked at each other, Euron giving him a half smile that made the rugged man scowl “in exchange for our help, we want the power to conduct your majesty's naval crown force once the war is done, and a union of our kingdoms—”

 

The dragon queen interrupted the rambling of the king in front of her “—The Iron Islands are under my dominion”

 

“With all due respect your majesty, there is no your dominion” Victarion responded “and if there were it would only be composed of the Westerlands if you defeat the Lannisters, the Reach, and the Storm Lands with the Kings landing territories. The realm is in an open rebellion making the iron islands as free as the other kingdoms”

 

“I would assume that your offer of help includes bringing the iron islands back into the forces of the crown” Tyrion’s hands were twirling his wine cup, a sign that he was formulating plans and words at a very quick speed

 

Euron’s villainous smile was in full display, the Lannister dwarf had walked right into his path “the Iron Islands and the crown will be united with the older tradition in the seven kingdoms” he stopped to stare at Daenerys for long enough to make her visibly uncomfortable “through marriage”

 

Despite their previous knowledge of this plan, the reactions of the small council were genuine. Tyrion stopped twirling his cup, Daario and Missandei shifted uncomfortably in their seats, Greyworm and the queen however remained stone faced; him because that was Greyworm, and Dany because she had to remain calm.

 

“Anything else?” Euron shook his head, knowing that once he was king of the seven kingdoms whatever else was in his mind would happen eventually “in exchange for ironborn help to cross the narrow sea and take back what is mine, I will wed the  _ rightful _ ruler of the Iron Islands” Dany’s eyes however betrayed her, they were not looking at the rugged king in front of her, but at the passageway behind him.

 

“I of course am up for anything” Victarion and Euron turned fast enough to cause whiplash, both with varying degrees of shock on their faces “long time no see uncles”

 

- _ oOoOo- _

 

_ “Your grace we have to leave right now” the person speaking to her sounded so far away. All Dany could focus on was the madness and screams. Steel was clashing against steel and limbs were being ripped from bodies. What had happened she didn't know, all she wanted was a quiet place and… there was something else _

 

_ “Your grace please, we cannot lose you too” _

 

_ Lose. No that could not be. They hadn't lost anyone. _

 

_ The blood _

 

_ The screams _

 

_ A knife _

 

_ All of the sudden everything went dark _

 

-oOoOo-

 

Yara and Theon were standing at the doorway. Both clad in their finest leathers, with black cloaks over their shoulders and swords strapped to their hips. Only difference was their headwear. Yara was wearing the black gold and walnut crown while Theon was sporting a much simpler ring of steel. Victarion looked like he was seeing a ghost while Euron’s faced looked as if someone had pissed on his lunch. This was definitely not the way he thought the negotiations would go.

 

“Yara?” Victarion approached his niece slowly, almost afraid that if he moved too quickly she would disappear “Theon?” His eyes showed that the story had clicked. Once he was close enough to appreciate that they were there, physically and not just part of his imagination, his face turned from shock to anger. He turned around slowly, hand on the handle of his axe “you said they were all dead” his breaths turned harsh and angry “‘ _ all killed by the Boltons _ ’” he mocked back at him. Euron was trying to come up with an escape plan. Anything that would put his brother back to his side and his niece and nephew dead like they had been in the mind of the Lord Captain was okay in his book. He knew the honorable fool would switch his allegiance back the moment the heirs of Balon were no more. 

 

“Victarion—”

 

“You knew they were alive. You knew that was Yara’s crown all along” the Greyjoy man approached Euron, whose hand was inching closer to his dagger “that was the urgency behind raising all the ships available. They're the reason over half of my fleet is gone with my best captains. You knew they were coming here” Yara and Theon began drawing their swords, and that was the sign that Euron’s chances of winning any favors by his brother or anyone in the room were very low.

 

Euron tried to present himself as non threatening by not using his hands to point at Theon “He is Balon’s heir” Victarion’s face scrunched up in anger “And he is not fit to rule. Yara is nothing more than an uppity little girl trying to play queen. That crown and the isles are mine by right”

 

“They have more claim than you do Euron” Victarion grasped the axe, feeling that something was not right “you are a traitor and a usurper and have no right to wear that crown”

 

Euron’s hand prepared to launch his dagger off, but made sure to give Victarion, Yara and Theon his best smile loaded with loathing, hatred and a promise of revenge “try to take it from me”

 

-oOoOo-

 

_ It is all a bad dream.  _

 

_ When I wake up Missandei will tell me I overslept and Yara is very cross with me. This could not have happened. Silence had not arrived at port, they had not been in that situation. It was impossible. _

 

_ When I wake up Yara will be standing at the foot of my bed telling me I missed our training. None of this really happened. I will visit my dragons later and we will fly from Meereen and all will be well. _

 

_ Blood. There was a lot of blood. _

 

_ It was seeping into her dress. _

 

_ A black crow was staring at her, mocking her from its steel perch on a river running red. _

 

_ Blood. There was a lot of blood. _

 

_ -oOoOo- _

 

It happened so fast that Victarion had trouble reacting. 

 

Euron’s hand flew upwards, releasing a glint of steel that flew across the room only paces faster than Euron himself. Yara and Theon both threw themselves on their sides to get out of the knife's path. Theon landed on the floor with. loud thud, but was unable to catch his uncle who sprinted out followed by the few of his captains who had understood the message. 

 

He turned to look at his sister for further instructions and found himself horror struck by the scene. Yara had landed sideways, her face covered in blood, Euron’s crow knife lodged on the right side of her face.

 

“Find him and bring him back dead or alive!  _ Silence _ does not leave port” Tyrion shouted and that was the moment all hell broke loose. 

 

The men left in the room were never the smartest or most capable, but they were ironborn and would not go down without a fight. Swords were drawn as they soon realized they were in the middle of the worst odds of their lives. Outnumbered by highly skilled warriors and abandoned by their king. 

 

From her throne Dany sprinted into the thick of the action, followed closely by Greyworm and Daario. Victarion and Theon were kneeling next to Yara’s limp and bleeding body, with an unsullied and an ironborn man fighting a few paces from them. Dany fell to her knees next to Yara, whose blood was pooling on the ground staining her dress. The ironborn’s face had a small tinge of black at the site of the injury, contrasting with the bright red blood.

 

Steel blows rained all around them, men yelling curses and prayers, screams of pain everywhere. 

 

“We need to move her from here. Now” Theon’s hands were trying to apply pressure to the wound, but with the knife in the way he was having a hard time keeping the blood from flowing out. Victarion tried to move the knife but realized all he was doing was accelerating the bleed “We need a maester”

 

“Your grace we need to leave right now” Daario was shaking the queen’s shoulder but she would not budge. A part of him, a very large part of him, was having a hard time keeping the smile from his face. Without the salt queen Daenerys would mourn, but she would also return to his arms. There would be no queen to serve and bed however if she was struck down by a stray sword or a vengeful ironborn. “Daenerys”

 

_ How could this happen _ Dany was in shock, seeing Theon desperately calling out to Yara seemed to increment that tenfold. The queen’s hands reached out to the warrior laying in front of her, trying to help as best she could but knowing all she was doing was causing more damage.

 

Theon’s eyes raised to look at her for perhaps the first time since they had met. They were dark and full of anguish and worry “Your grace please. We cannot lose you too”.

 

Dany stared back at him, her purple eyes fighting a losing battle with the tears. All around her chaos ensued. The ironborn men were many and giving quite a fight to the unsullied whose path into the room was blocked by the sheer number of people in the room and the bleeding body. The air was ripe with the smell of iron and death and the screams of men dying around her. 

 

Looking to her side she could see Greyworm and Daario keeping the ironborn away from the grieving queen and Victarion driving his axe into a man’s head.

 

- _ oOoOo- _

 

_ Blood was spewing out of the face just a day prior she had caressed. _

 

_ The lips she had kissed were dripping blood. _

 

_ There was so much red _

 

_ So many screams _

 

_ They were going to lose her _

 

_ “Yara please” Dany had a hard time picturing the more confident Theon crying out to his sister, the knot in his throat evident “please” _

 

_ Yara _

 

_ -oOoOo- _

 

“Yara please” Theon was waiting for his sister to give even the smallest reaction of being alive. He was waiting for orders from somewhere on what to do with his sister. Frustration, hurt, grief and anguish being expressed by his choked plea “please”

 

Dany looked at her blood stained hands, Yara’s blood, and promptly fainted. 

 

-oOoOo-

 

The smell of jasmine and lavender woke up the Targaryen Queen. 

 

Her large comfortable bed was illuminated by a large array of candles. The first thought that came to mind was that she had slept the day away, and was probably due for a bickering. That was until Missandei came into view.

 

“My queen” she rushed to her side carrying a cup of water and a bowl of something else “please drink. The healer said you should also take this as soon as you woke up” Dany’s head was pounding, a low hum buzzed at her ears when she sat up. 

 

“What—” The Queen's voice was hoarse and raspy, she had probably been in bed for quite a long time. Missandei gently helped her drink the water from the offered cup “what happened?”

 

Missandei’s face was full of worry at the question “Do you not remember? The healer said you might forget what happened during the—”

 

“I remember Yara’s uncles” her voice was quiet and her face was scrunched up in concentration “I remember a crow… Yara” Missandei put the cup down seemingly ready to stop what was about to happen “What happened with Yara? I need to see her!” Dany began untangling herself from the bed sheets only to be stopped by Missandei as two unsullied guards entered the chamber.

 

“Your majesty needs to stay here and heal” doing her best to put Daenerys back in bed, Missandei used her softest voice “it is still too soon for you to leave your bed”

 

Dany was putting up a fight, or at least as be a fight as she could, trying to shake off the girl’s hold on her shoulders “No I need to know if what I remember is true” the dizziness hit her all at once, taking most of the fight out of her “tell me please”

 

Missandei took a deep breath and reached out for the wooden bowl she had come in with once Daenerys reclined back into her bed “Your grace. Yara Greyjoy was stabbed with a poisoned dagger. She is very weak and her wound is being treated but… the healers haven't been able to find the poison’s antidote”

 

For the second time in her life, Daenerys fainted.

 

-oOoOo-

 

Varys and Tyrion were the only two sitting in the small council chamber. Despite the recent events they realized it was not all bad news; ironically enough it was all thanks to Cersei Lannister.

 

Tyrion, whose flagon of wine was almost done, drank deeply from his cup before speaking “I cannot believe she burnt them all” Varys let out a small mocking sound, making the Lannister man smile “it is not her style. Quartered, hung, beheaded, anything like that to the people who dare defy her. But burnt, by wildfire none the less” Tyrion shook his head and drank again “she is more Targaryen than our Queen”

 

“my little birds say she will be crowned queen after a period of mourning for the king”

 

The smile was wiped off Tyrion’s face, instead being replaced by true sadness “Sweet sweet Tommen. Such a sweet boy with too much responsibility at such a young age”

 

“A reign full of tragedy as well” Varys picked up the fan on the table and began walking towards the balcony “we must thank her for our new Westerosi alliances however. An angry Queen of Thorns and vengeful princess of Dorne seem an interesting combination”

 

“It seems the more kings spawn up the more queens show them how ruling should be done” Tyrion, who was overlooking the city turned his eyes towards the docks where  _ Black Wind _ was docked “speaking of queens. Any news on Lady Greyjoy?”

 

“No good news seem to be coming from that end” Varys sighed deeply, resting his arms on the stone railing “it is quite unfortunate, at this point we need a miracle”

 

_ And an urgent one if our queen is to win this fight _ Tyrion to whom love had failed over and over found himself rooting for the girl in the ship. Only so many times had he seen something on the scale of Yara and Daenerys, and a winning pair like that deserved a much better ending. Despite not being a religious man he still found himself looking at the sky for a sign.  _ Now is the time for a miracle from the seven heavens _

 

-oOoOo-

 

Victarion climbed  _ Black Wind _ dragging his feet for the first time in his whole life. The mood in the ship was mournful and sad, the crewmen almost seemed afraid to raise their voice too much in case they might be the reason they would lose their captain and Queen. 

 

At the door of Yara’s cabin was Theon, banging his head against the wall every so often, a sign he had been standing there for quite a while. 

 

His ghastly look also gave him away; his dark hair that was usually tousled by the wind was completely disheveled, his eyes were bloodshot and rimmed in dark purple, he clearly hadn’t slept and Victarion figured he probably hadn't eaten much either.

 

“Any news?” Theon picked his head off the wall slowly and sluggishly to look at his uncle.

 

“She's not dead if that's what you mean” his right hand raised to pinch the bridge of his nose “but she's not improving. There's a new batch of healers from some city trying something new; Lannister said he would keep calling on them until every option was exhausted” the Greyjoy’s face clearly showed what he thought about that “any news from your part?”

 

“As we expected the few men who survived were killed for treason” Victarion stood on the other side of the door adopting a similar pose to his nephew “Tirius gave a great speech to everyone about why we should continue our efforts, fairly short as well ‘ _ Yara will bring hell on whoever slacked while she was gone, and I do not wish to face a pissed off Greyjoy _ ’” 

 

“If she ever recovers you mean”

 

Victarion scowled at his nephew, trying to be kind with him was going to be harder than expected, considering he was a shell of what had been described to him in Westeros of the Stark hostage “when is what I meant. The drowned god has better plans for her”

 

“The drowned god also had better plans for my brothers and they were all called to his service very early” the young prince stepped away from the wall and began pacing like a caged lion, messing up his hair every time he turned back around.

 

“They also led a great rebellion Theon, never forget that”

 

“A rebellion that ended with my father bitter and me a hostage” it was clear that the lack of sleep was bringing out the old Theon, who was not going to take anything from anyone “Yara was leading a just and fair fight. The crown was,  _ is _ hers, just as much as the iron throne belongs to Daenerys” he stepped in front of the door with his arms crossed “Euron deserves to have his life hanging on a knife's edge, not her”

 

“We will make sure he—”

 

Whatever promise of retribution Victarion was about to give Theon was cut short by a small man walking out of Yara’s cabin. Victarion stepped away from the wall and in front of the man, whose face was grim and apologetic.

 

“What news?” Theon had the look if a man who was not ready to give up on his sister, and the healer was very close to shattering his conviction.

 

“We’ve good news and bad news” the man began retreating his steps signifying that the men should come in in order to fully understand what was going on.

 

The room was dark and heavy with the smell of herbs and burning candles. Black draperies were thrown over the windows to block out sunlight, which drew their attention to the figure on the bed.

 

The right side of Yara’s face was covered with bandages that had clearly been replaced recently. The men who were hovering over her were taking away blood stained rags and bowls of water that did not look like water, but pales of mud. She looked small and frail, the half of her face that wasn't covered was twisted in an expression of pain; Theon noted that her breathing was ragged and almost indistinguishable.

 

“We've managed to stop the bleed and close the wound, unfortunately her majesty's eye could not be saved” Theon and Victarion sighed in relief “that is not the bad news”

 

Yara moaned in pain, and the healers ran to her side and removed the linen around her head very carefully. As a reflex Theon and Victarion’s hands tried to find their weapons at the sight of the wound. The eye was closed and the wound red and raw, the stitching was new and the skin around it was swollen. The area where the knife had struck was pitch black, growing out like a spider web would down her face and sneaking down to her neck.

 

“We've been able to isolate the poison that the knife was coated in, and that is the bad news”

 

Theon turned to look at the man questioningly “I was always told that if you know the poison you can make an antidote?”

 

“Not where Euron is concerned” Victarion was slowly realizing the implication of the healer’s mournful expression. His brother had traveled all across the known world and what they did not know as well; his ruthlessness had probably led to learning all he could about killing someone slowly and painfully “what is the poison?”

 

“we have narrowed it down to a very treated form of Manticore venom and an undilated medicinal concoction called Curare” the healer sighed as the other man began to apply a new coat of muddy mixtures to Yara’s face “both poisons are treatable in their current forms, when by themselves. This reaction however, it's something we have never seen, and don't know how to slow it down, nevermind cure it”

 

Victarion nudged Tyrion towards Yara, encouraging him to take a seat next to his sister. In reality he wanted to ask a question Theon might not want to know the answer to “How long until it is fatal?”

 

“It is impossible to say. The poison seems to be slowing itself down enough to cause tremendous pain. It moved fast across the wound but since then it's slowed almost to a halt; it's causing her more pain than she would suffer through if it kept moving at the same rate” the statement was punctuated by Yara moaning again “our best estimate gives her at least one month; that is if she doesn’t beg to end it before. The pain is severe enough for us to keep her sleeping, we do not want her to be awake for it, but she still feels it” 

 

“What happens after a month?”

 

“we think the poison will reach her heart and lungs, and fill them with blood clots”

 

Victarion frowned and looked at his niece “She will drown in her own blood” the thought of that made Victarion sick. He had previously mentioned the drowned god having better plans for Yara, was this a sign he didn't? And her rule ended by a usurper? By the man who had disgraced his family in the past and had now taken it upon himself to gain power no matter the cost? “What can we do?”

 

“monitor her pain, make her comfortable. We can keep slowing its process down through other means that we will have to discuss with lord Lannister and Queen Daenerys” he realized how ridiculous it sounded, to make a doomed person feel comfortable until their death came “and wait for a miracle”

 

-oOoOo-

 

Daenerys awoke to the sound of the breeze coming through the door of her balcony and the sun shining onto her bed. Her head had a minor pounding but absolutely nothing compared to the headache she had when she had first woken up who knows how many days prior.

 

“Your grace” Missandei walked into her bed chamber with a tray with food on it and a skin of water “it is good to see you awake”

 

Dany sat up to rest the tray on her legs very slowly, fearing the dizziness and head thuds “How long have I been sleeping?”

 

“You have been in and out for about a day and a half” Missandei stood at the side of the bed with her hands crossed in front of her while Daenerys downed the water provided “do you remember what happened?”

 

“I remember drums banging in my head, and yelling” the queen looked out to the balcony where the sun and clouds were visible “It was about Yara?”

 

“Yes your grace” the woman helped the Targaryen queen get more comfortable in bed as she talked “the healer said you are not to be told anything until you've broken your fast and had a bath”

 

Dany, thankful for the respite, nodded and enjoyed the food in front of her. Food and a lengthy bath later Daenerys was being escorted to the small council chamber by Greyworm and Missandei. While careful to avoid the elephant in the room, both could sense Dany’s anxiety in the quickness of her steps. 

 

In the room were Varys, Tyrion, Victarion and Daario; the first two were at the table speaking to each other in low voices, Victarion was standing on the balcony looking at the sea and Daario, being Daario, was balancing his dagger on the wooden table by stabbing into it.

 

Varys was first to stand and take Daenerys’s hand “Your grace how glad we are to see you well again” 

 

Dany smiled at the man who accompanied her to her seat, she suspected it was to keep Daario away from her “Thank you for your concern Lord Varys, I would like to get into the updates of the situation right away if at all possible?” 

 

“Of course your grace. The men who survived the initial scuttle all declared their allegiance to Euron Greyjoy and were beheaded for treason at the discretion of Lord Victarion and Prince Theon” Dany turned to look at the man who was sitting at her right, Yara’s seat, for an explanation.

 

“They wouldn't have changed their minds. They would always work to usurp Yara’s throne and keeping them alive is more costly than beheading them now and not later” it was clear all the ironborn were made the same way, Dany knew that Yara would have given her the exact same answer.

 

Tyrion picked up the ball as soon as Victarion finished giving his reasoning “In Westeros, my sister took out many of her political enemies, most importantly for us, she killed the heirs of Highgarden, pushing them to our cause, with the Dornishmen” Dany’s eyebrow raised questioningly towards the Lannister man “she burnt down the sept of Baelor and was crowned queen after my nephew, her son, jumped off the red keep” 

 

Dany’s hands reached out to the man sitting at her left “My condolences Tyrion”

 

“Thank you my queen. Tommen was too young and unprepared to wear the crown, he deserved far better than he received” Tyrion smiled at the queen and then attempted to compose himself “our new allies are sending envoys to help us plan our landing and transportation. Tyene, Nymeria and Obara Sand are sailing our way as we speak with a small Dornish fleet and supplies from Highgarden the we may need”

 

“It seems with all of these  _ guests _ our harbor is running out of space” very few times was the word guest so overloaded with loathing, mostly when one of those guests was dying. Daario however, once again being Daario, had managed it well enough, making Victarion grasp the handle of his axe underneath the table.

 

“I am glad you brought that up  _ Daario _ ” Dany was not in any kind of humor to put up with childishness, it was time to show Daario Naharis the error of his ways “this is why you will go to Yunkai and make sure their docks are prepared to receive our new friends should we need it. When are they due to arrive?”

 

Varys quickly recognized the queen’s plan and answered before anyone else “two weeks, at most. Dornishmen are known for their light ships” 

 

“Perfect. Daario you will depart immediately and report back in two weeks to welcome our guests into the city and escort their ships to Yunkai if we seem pressed for space”

 

“Daenerys I… I do not believe I am the most qualified of your small council to deal with a matter of the sea”

 

“It would be unfair of the queen to ask the Greyjoys,  since they're currently waiting for their sister and niece to clear a very perilous moment of her life”  Victarion Greyjoy was by no means as clever as Varys or Tyrion, and he was not the bigger Lannister fan out there either, but he was clever enough to recognize that Tyrion Lannister was helping him send away the biggest silent enemy the Greyjoy family had in Meereen; and as a smart soldier he remained quiet, supporting his point to the queen that was grieving about as much as he was. “And be assured the Yunkai dock master will know what to do. You will be there in the name of the queen”

 

“You are a clever little man, why not go yourself?”

 

Varys reclined back in his seat, realizing how much he loathed the man who was trying to get out of what he had walked into all by himself.

 

“Because I need the  _ clever little man _ to advice me here. Now notify us of your progress there, and we will inform you of what task follows when our new  _ guests _ arrive” Daenerys’ emphasis on the words Daario had previously used to dig his own grave further emphasized that the war for the queen was lost, and he himself had done with it.

 

“Yes my queen” Daario stood from his seat and bowed, turned on his heel and stomped out the door. Accepting the situation did not mean he would not show her how much he disagreed, slamming the door as he went. 

 

Dany looked at the door and sighed. She was trying to avoid the elephant in the room, but with Daario gone and her curiosity peaking she had no choice “Now, what is Yara’s condition?” the reactions around the room gave her the preparation she needed for the news. Tyrion and Varys looked at each other and then at Victarion, whose face was a mask of stone, but understood it was his call on who would tell the queen what was happening; Daenerys however was not one known to wait “Lord Greyjoy?”

 

“The short answer, we are awaiting a miracle” Daenerys felt her insides twist and squirm with the news, indicating with her hand that he should explain further the Targaryen woman braced herself for the worse “the blade that punctured her face was coated with a mixture of rare poison. The wound was very delicate, and healers were not able to save her eye. They can't find an antidote. Yara’s reaction is something they have never seen, and the possibility of aggravating or speeding its progress stopped their efforts. They're waiting to speak to you” Victarion seemed to have gained 10 or more name days, his eyes were dark and heavy and his shoulders slouched “they are giving her a month, at most. If she doesn’t end it before then to end the pain”

 

As if on cue the healer in charge of Yara’s new treatment was escorted in by an unsullied. He bowed low when the queen looked at him, gushing on her titles and beauty.

 

“What can you tell us about queen Yara?”

 

The men stared into Daenerys’ eyes, and began his well rehearsed speech “I am sorry to say we are not poison masters by any means. We have isolated the components and are able to identify what it will do to her grace’s body, but we are not able to create an antidote to treat every symptom. Missing a single one can prove  _ fatal _ ” the sense of doom that the word raised was not lost on anyone in the room, but the queen felt the hammer had not dropped “we believe that the best way to truly save her is to implement the mystic sciences with our current treatments”

 

Tyrion’s eyelids closed slowly, his hand raising to pinch the bridge of his nose, his other hand unconsciously reaching for the wine cup. Any other person might accept the usage of anything to save someone they care for, and Daenerys might have had, except for it being magic; he knew it would take much convincing, if the queen even wanted to hear any arguments.

 

“No” Daenerys felt she did not need to say more, until Victarion snapped his head upwards to look at her with anger. The possible cure for his niece was in this woman’s hands, and she was refusing? She sighed and looked at her hands on the table. Since marrying Drogo few times had she felt this lost and helpless, bringing his memory back and what had taken him from her just added insult to injury “I have seen what using magic to save someone’s life will do. I refuse to allow that to happen again. No, there must be a different way”

 

“We have requested our guild make this antidote a priority, but the scarcity of the materials and the few times our people have seen this might not lead anywhere”

 

“Request what you will need and it is yours. Find me cure that does not need to cheat a life and pay with death”

 

The man nodded, but still could not shake his grim look “Despite the vast resources available to her majesty a single thing is true here: It is our firm belief that Lady Greyjoy will need luck and a miracle”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feel free to follow me on tumblr (@theirondragonrants) and scream at me about this, I love the comments!


	7. The Sand Snakes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, I know I said two weeks but... The show seems to be going to hell so I think this is cathartic for me to post. Thank you to the new kudos/people who commented!

**The Sand Snakes**

 

The usual sight on  _ Black Wind _ was of men walking about busy, lively yells and seagull crap being cleaned. Ever since Yara had become sick, it was nearly polar opposite. The ironborn tried to stay off the ship, choosing to remain at the shipyards or other ships during the grand majority of the day.  Only enough crew was kept to maintain her in a pristine fashion, her new crew had become the healers going in and out of the captain’s cabin. Day in and day out herbs and candles with bowls of mud and pails of water were brought to the ship, and the creaking of the wooden longship mixed with Yara’s pained moans, that intensified on the off chance that she had to be woken up. 

 

That is where Daenerys found herself in the dark of the night. Escorted only by Greyworm she snuck into the ship at the only time where neither men nor healers would be near. Making sure to time her steps with the sway of the sea, the silver queen snuck her way through the deck and to the cabin’s door, where a small whisper and ragged breaths could be heard.

 

With her hand on the door knob Dany turned to Greyworm, who was looking around the ship “stand guard and inform me of anything suspicious” the unsullied general nodded and turned on his heel, looking for a spot where he could observe everything at once.

 

The smell of the cabin overwhelmed Daenerys as soon as the door creaked open. Herbs and earthy scents assaulted her nostrils, trying to disguise the underlying darker smell, one of blood and iron and death. 

 

On the featherbed was Yara, who was awake and clearly in pain, linen covering one side of her face, a black spiderweb scaling its way through her skin covering a half of neck, looking at her brother with her good eye. Theon on his part looked no better than his sick sister. His eyes had dark circles and his skin was pale, the facial hair that he rarely let grow much was covering his chin and cheeks, making him appear much older than his 22 name days. It was the haunted look in his eyes that shocked Daenerys. The Theon she had met was not the most confident man by any means, but he did stand proud and with a hint of fierceness. This Theon was more like the one of the stories Tyrion had brought with him, beaten down and broken, a simple creature afraid of his own shadow.

 

“Your grace” Yara, despite the pain she was in, smiled at the queen who was frozen at her door “I do not believe you should wait at the door if you did not knock first”

 

“I…” Daenerys trailed off when she recognized the queen was teasing her, and managed a small smile. Her eyes turned to look at Theon, who smiled at her, inviting her into what was clearly a private moment between the Greyjoy siblings. He stood and pulled a nearby seat for her, indicating she should take it as to not strain Yara by having her move too much “you're awake?”

 

“It seems my body is much too stubborn for the potions they…” Yara stopped and squeezed the bed sheets, breathing hard as a spasm rocked her body.

 

Theon turned his head away from the scene to look at Dany “She needs to wake up every so often, to ensure the potions will work correctly” Daenerys nodded, unlike Theon she was looking at Yara, who was using every ounce of strength she had to not cry out in pain “the doses are made to wake her up every two days at night, when there's less heat”

 

“They are very considerate in helping me die comfortably” Theon looked at his sister disapprovingly but could not bring himself to say anything to counteract any of her statements “oh don't look at me like that. I thought we had come to an understanding about this situation. Now scuttle” despite himself Theon smiled at his sister, knowing she had asked for the queen the two previous times the healers woke her up. He offered his seat to Daenerys before stepping out of the cabin.

 

“An understanding?” Dany raised her eyebrow at the woman in front of her, who shrugged at best she could.

 

“Matters of succession”

 

Dany felt her insides churn at the resignation behind the indifference in the Greyjoy’s voice “Yara…”

 

“Seeing as the only person with the power to find what is possibly the only cure for this” Yara picked up her arm to point at the black ooze on her side “refuses to allow it, I have to make preparations”

 

“If there was a safe way to cure you I would go to the seven hells for it” Dany knew that it was not the time or the right thing to be angry at Yara, but she  know better, and making her understand her reasoning without all the facts was an impossible task “but not this way. Magic is not the way to cure you”

 

Yara rolled her eye at her “Neither is the way they are trying” a shudder of pain went through her body, causing her to tighten the grip on the bed sheets “so tell me your majesty” her voice was strained and breathless but the strength in her demand was obvious “if healers cannot cure me and magic is absolutely not the answer. How do I live through this?”

 

“We will find a way” Dany’s hand extended to take Yara's. To her surprise she found that she was hot to the touch, it felt like the pyramid stones on a hot day. Yara shook her head and sighed.

 

“What if there is none? Will you realize magic was the way once I am gone?” the small soft hand in hers tightened the grip, almost stubbornly trying to keep her alive by sheer willpower.

 

Despite the effort Yara’s thumb began drawing circles on Dany’s hand. It was clear that the dragon queen had something she wanted off her chest, and whatever kept her by her side until the time came to sleep again would be fine in her book. “My husband was hurt in battle” the circles stopping made Dany smile “I am not telling you this because of lost love Yara”

 

The humor in Dany’s statement made Yara laugh, a laugh that ended in a groan of pain “Didn't seem like you would be the one to kick me when I'm already down”

 

“As I was saying. He was hurt by one of his bloodriders because he defended something I did” Dany’s eyes became unfocused as she recalled a time in her life she believed long gone and buried, looking at Yara smiling at her gave her the strength to continue “his wound became infected, and I foolishly allowed magic to be used. I wanted him by mine and my son’s side, and if magic could do just that no price was too large” remembering the screams of Drogo’s horse and the chanting caused her eyes to water, time clearly had not healed the wound entirely “he did not die. But what I bought for him with my son’s life was not a life worth living” Yara’s hand tightened against her own. Looking up she expected to see pain as another spasm ran through her, instead she saw Yara’s grey eye become soft and clear with understanding, her hand came up to dry out the tears she had not felt falling “eventually I lost him too. Magic does not buy you life, nor time, it only buys pain and pays with misery”

 

“I understand” Yara’s voice was becoming faint, every breath taken was a titanic effort, but the need to make sure Daenerys did not blame herself for her was more important “whatever happened, I am sure he forgave you. I forgive you”

 

Before Dany could say or do anything Theon, Victarion and the head healer came in through the door carrying a tray of various small flasks. Realizing the queens were having a moment they looked at each other and turned their backs towards them, looking at the wall. Yara let out a bark of laughter that was interrupted with a cough of blood, which Daenerys dried up with a piece of linen on the nearby table. Yara smiled at her and squeezed her hand, prompting the dragon queen to lean in and whisper ‘thank you’ before giving her a small faint kiss. 

 

The healer stepped forward when Daenerys cleared her throat. For once Yara obediently drank what was being offered to her, laying down and closing her eyes as peacefully as she could. A small shudder later she was asleep, her face contorted into an expression of pain as the poison continued its effect, racking through her body.

 

“That is the first time she's gone to sleep so fast”

 

Dany’s gaze did not leave Yara, her hand still holding on to hers, hoping the contact would remind Yara why she had to fight until cure could be found “that is a good sign I hope” the healer sighed, staring at the queen with sadness.

 

“Let's pray so my queen”

 

-oOoOo-

 

The days and nights went by slowly. Daenerys’ routine became divided between her duties, battle planning and spending time with the sleeping ironborn, whose black scar spread more and more everyday. Unbeknownst to her the healers had given up on finding any kind of cure, they would attempt to bring down the fever and keep the queen sleeping, but all in an attempt to, as Yara put it, make her death more comfortable.

 

Daenerys came to tell Yara much of her life and many of her insecurities while she slept. It had become painful to watch the hurt go by her face everyday, and any distraction had been welcomed.

 

On the day when the Dornishmen finally arrived she had found herself telling Yara about the anxiousness of ruling the seven kingdoms when her forces eventually captured it. How strange it was for her to rule over a land that was hers by right but she had never laid eyes upon, one she had never spent a single day of her life in. 

 

Tyrion, followed by Theon and Greyworm, walked into the silver queen gazing adoringly at Yara’s face, her thumb tracing a path from the base of her thumb to the middle of her index finger, where a very faint scar perturbed her pale skin. 

 

The two trusted advisors had spent many days talking about the seven kingdoms and their lives since they had last crossed paths. Theon came to learn of the death of Ramsay and the reinstated Stark rule fairly early into their talks, which landed them on their common friendship with Sansa. It was commonplace to see them walk about, when the Greyjoy prince wasn't training with the unsullied general, speaking of what they would do once they went back home. However it seemed as if Theon’s plan of going home with Yara and living their lives on the rock they called home might need reworking if the young monarch survived—Daenerys did not look like she would let Yara out of her sight after this ordeal. 

 

Tyrion waddled his way to the queen and, making sure to not startle her, placed his hand on her arm “Your grace” he whispered like a father would to his frightened daughter. Daenerys looked up at him, her amethyst eyes unfocused and heavy with pain and burdened with the need to be larger than life to properly bare the crown. Tyrion smiled back, he wanted her to know that the pain she was feeling did not make her weak, it made her human, a sigh of understanding escaped her lips, followed by a smile “your grace the Sand Snakes are here”

 

Dany nodded and looked back at Yara “Have them taken to the throne room. I will be there shortly”

 

Tyrion nodded and stepped back, nudging at Theon to stay with the queen before leaving the cabin with Greyworm. The room returned to a solemn silence when Theon took a seat next to Dany; he didn't really know what to say, any word of encouragement or hope getting trapped on the knot that had formed in his throat.

 

Dany sighed and turned to look at the younger Greyjoy sibling, her voice was low and melodious “How are you”

 

“I am well, thank you your grace” he gave her that Greyjoy half smile she missed dearly in an attempt to lighten her spirit “If anyone should be asked that is you” Dany shook her head, both of them turning as Yara moaned, a spasm racking through her.

 

“I want you to know if I could take her pain away I would” Theon’s heart went out to her. He hadn't spent much of his time in his 22 name days with Yara, and recent events had influenced his outlook on the ironborn warrior, but the two queens had a different kind of bond, a special one.

 

“I know” Theon looked at his sister hand, whose fingers were intertwined with those of the Targaryen queen and smiled “she’s always fought. All her life. After I was taken away she was forced to fight for the family name, and shortly after mother was murdered I imagine she began fighting harder than ever. This time she will be fighting for herself,  _ and for you _ . Keep giving her strength and the pain will not matter, because she will continue fighting”

 

“Theon… I…”

 

“There's nothing you could have done your majesty. We came here for a purpose, if this is what takes her I know Yara will feel proud of her accomplishments” Theon was essentially forgiving Daenerys for causing the loss of his sister, seemingly hell bent on keeping her from any sort of responsibility. He stretched his right arm over her shoulder slowly “do not blame yourself. Because I do not, and neither does she. As I heard Lord Eddard tell his wife once back home,  _ it is better to live a day by your side than a lifetime without you _ ” his head nudged Yara’s direction to further explain his point. Daenerys smiled and sighed deeply, dwelling on the matter would only hurt, having Theon forgive her for this helped incredibly “now if you will allow me to escort you”

 

“Thank you Theon. For everything” Dany smiled at the Greyjoy prince and took a second to look back at the sleeping woman. She leaned down and pecked her lips before walking off towards Theon who was standing at the door. Her face set into its stoic mask, ready to see what these infamous  _ Sand snakes _ were all about.

 

-oOoOo-

 

Obara and Nymeria Sand were women that, to Dany, looked fit and ready to rule. From looking at them she could tell that they were very similar to Yara, with leather armor on for protection, their weapons resting but clearly at the ready for action. 

 

When she walked into the hall Obara was leaning on her spear and Nymeria was recoiling her whip with the same normality that one would fix skirts. That however is where the similarities ended, where Yara would smile in a way that said “I know something you don't” and stand with calm collected power, Obara and Nymeria had their faces etched in stone, their arms in a protective stance, clearly not playing any games. Their younger sister Tyene standing besides them, looking around with interest, twirling a dagger in her hands. 

 

Dany glanced at her small council to receive their impressions. Greyworm gave nothing away, as per usual. Missandei and Theon looked intrigued and entertained by the antics of the younger Sand snake. It was the reactions of her remaining counselors that made her curious however. Tyrion and Varys were shifting between discreetly looking at each other and at the younger girl, eyes wide, but giving nothing away. Intrigued by the three women in front of her Daenerys got the ball rolling.

 

“My people, my small council and myself are very happy to host such renown warriors in our city” if she had been looking for any reaction the disappointment would have been massive, because their positions or behaviors did not shift, but that did not interest the dragon queen.

 

Nymeria, without skipping a beat, responded for her party “The honor is ours” her and Obara gave a small head bow, Tyene not far behind “the people of Dorne have long held the Targaryen rulers in high regard, and we wish you to know that we will continue to support your legacy, so long as the rule of Dorne remains as it has for thousands of years”

 

“For that I am thankful” Dany kept her face as a mask of of strength while facing the Sands “As many Targaryen rulers have before me, I hold Dorne to the highest esteem, and will be most welcoming of a prince or princess of Dorne to continue ruling. There will always be a place at my table and in my council for the proud rulers of Sunspear” Nymeria’s lips curled into a smile when she realized how skillfully the queen had avoided mentioning the disappearance of house Martell and that there was no official house ruling in Dorne. The mention of a Dornishmen in a small council however would be trouble, and while Tyene had promised to stay quiet under death threat from her Obara was a whole different animal.

 

The oldest Sand rolled her eyes and switched her feet, still reclining on the deadly Dornish spear and stared at Tyrion as she spoke “Last time a Dornishman was part of a small council he was murdered. Last time a Dornish Woman set for King's landing she was raped and murdered” Nymeria was fighting the reflex to drop her head in defeat, Obara was her beloved sister and she owed her much, but her rash conduct would get them all killed one day “forgive my skepticism but that is not a track record we wish to follow”

 

Tyrion turned towards Obara, his eyes full to the brim with regret “your father, prince Oberyn, was a brave man. What befell him was an injustice of the highest regard. I owe him my life…”

 

“A Martell life for a Lannister life. That hardly seems fair”

 

“If the gods were just he and I would have both lived. But a Lannister life payed for the loss of your father, and gods be good the death of your aunt Elia and her children too will be avenged by queen Daenerys”

 

“Lord Tyrion speaks the truth. I wish to right the wrongs my family and the usurpers have caused on all of those who were loyal” Dany shifted her gaze over all three women “I promise you, my rule will be much different, more just”

 

“So long as those like him live” Obara pointer the tip of her spear at Tyrion, punctuating her statement with a deadly smile “your rule will never be just”

 

“As the defamed patricidal dwarf son of the declining Lannister legacy I imagine you would allow me the chance to prove my worth” despite herself Nymeria released a laugh, oh how true the tales were, he was a  _ clever little man _ “if you see me make a play for the crown or attempt to sell the queen for a mountain that shits gold I will be most thankful if you stick that spear through me”

 

Obara returned the spear to its original spot and scowled “you can certainly Count on it little Lannister”

 

“Now that the introductions and pleasantries are out of the way, it would be my pleasure to invite you all to the great hall for supper. We understand the urgency of your travels must have you weary”

 

Tyene smiled and perked up “And famished!” Nymeria turned to stare at her angrily, only to be lightened by the hand of her sister Obara resting on her padded shoulder. 

 

-oOoOo-

 

The supper reunion was lighthearted. The stoic Greyworm and venom tongued Obara found themselves swapping battle stories and fighting techniques over their entrance course, which the Sand Snakes demolished in no time flat.

 

Daenerys and Nymeria were engaged in a talk of the rule of Dorne, the alliance to highgarden, and the power struggle in the North and the Iron Islands, clearly finding common ground in their political calculating minds, with occasional commentary from the mostly quiet Theon. 

 

The most curious of all interactions however was between Tyene and the remaining small council members. Varys and Tyrion had engaged her in conversation a few times, but they had been deep in thought for the most part. Their faces scrunched up like one would look when the answer to something was there on the tip of their tongue. 

 

Missandei took a small drink from her honeyed milk and turned to Tyene “So how is it that you know how to handle a blade so skillfully?”

 

“My father was a believer that we all must fight our fights, but the world would let us choose our weapons. He trained me in the use of blades and other arts like he did my sisters” Tyene twirled her knife and fork while speaking, leaving Missandei to smile at her skill and playfulness.

 

Tyrion was the first of the two deep in thought to leave his stupor, all his attention concentrated on the young Sand Snake “What other arts did prince Oberyn teach you my lady?” 

 

“Oh believe me I am not a lady” she smiled and to drive her point home dug the knife in her hand into the table “but if you must know. We are not called Sand  _ Snakes  _ for nothing. He was an expert in potions and poisons and believed that if your opponent suffered the gods would reward you. He passed many of his teachings on to me, and I've still much to learn”

 

Politeness would normally lead to Daenerys to finish a conversation. Tyene’s revelation however had been enough to make her forget her good manners. Her gaze shifted to the younger sister of her new allies, leading Nymeria and Obara to look at each other questioningly.

 

Before she could say anything however, Theon’s hopeful voice beat her to it “What did you say?”

 

Tyene tilted her head, she believed her statement had been clear enough, but then again the ironborn with the sea salt in their ears could not be faulted “The red viper of Dorne was a master in all kinds of poisons. He studied in the citadel and many many other places in his travels”

 

“He collected deadly tactics like he did daughters” Obara picked up her wine cup and raised it to her sisters as she spoke, clearly amused by her own antics.

 

Theon stood and kneeled to take Tyene’s hand, his eyes growing bright with something that had been lost for quite some time now “And you said you learnt these things from him right?” the head nod he received made him smile widely.

 

“Well it seems like all our prayers have been answered” Tyrion followed Theon’s walking path but instead of kneeling he offered his hand to the befuddled Dornish woman “all of you grace us with your presence and your alliance, but it also seems that you have been heaven sent for more than just that”

 

Nymeria recognized the strange situation but could not for her own life understand what was going on. Then again she wouldn’t need worry for long, seeing as her sister Obara was more than happy to snap in her anger for her “Would someone explain to me what they are talking about before I start making threats”

 

Dany, who had been staring at the scene quietly turned her eyes to Obara, the Dornish warrior had to take a step back at the level of emotions displayed in her purple eyes. The queen smiled, her eyes watering slightly, her voice came out as a small lull charged with hopefulness “ _ she can save Yara _ ”

 

-oOoOo-

 

_ Black Wind _ had not seen so much excitement in quite some time. It was commonplace to see Tyene Sand, the youngest of the three sand snakes, move back and forth from  _ Sea Spear _ to  _ Black Wind _ carrying different kinds of leather books, never losing her balance on the planks that connected the two ships while she walked and read. 

 

As usual, Daenerys would be sitting by Yara when Tyene would walk into her cabin to check different things. Her sisters, who had been weary from the long journey, would check on her every so often, but for the most part left her to her own devices.

 

Tyene stepped through the door with her nose dug into one of the books, “Your grace” her steps directed her straight to the sleeping queen, whose black mark had spread considerably, reaching the tip of her ear and the bottom of her neck, spider webbing its way to her chest and shoulder. By her calculations, the poison would reach her heart in less than a week, making the efforts that much more necessary “I believe it would be smart to move Lady Yara to  _ Sea Spear _ where all my fathers equipment is”

 

Dany’s eyes widened, she turned to look at the sleeping queen with worry in her eyes “Is it possible to move it here” Tyene’s head tilted leading Daenerys to sigh in resignation “if this fails, I think Yara would like to spend her last living moments on board  _ Black Wind _ ”

 

Tyene giggled while looking around “Iron Islanders are quite sentimental about their boats I will grant you that. Very well, I will see about moving some equipment for the antidote making. One thing your grace”

 

“Yes?”

 

“It will speed up the venoms path. The healers and I have come to the conclusion, and based on my father's notes, that the best way to save Lady Greyjoy is by allowing the poison to run its course”

 

“Do you mean…”

 

“Yes” the Sand turned her body towards the queen, with her hands resting on the leather bound notebook in front of her “the only way to save her is by killing her”

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feel free to come scream at me on tumblr! @TheIronDragonRants  
> I'm also running a thoughts on Season 8 post series there, so you'll know how much trash I've talked about this season!
> 
> Thank you for reading, I'll catch you guys in the next one!


	8. Queens Don't Cry

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey Y'all!   
> Clearly I gave up my whole 2 week thing. My finals may suffer but it's fine since they weren't gonna get done anyways. Thanks for the kudos and the comments kids, here we go!

**Queens Don’t Cry**

 

Sea Breeze and ocean wind were by far Yara’s favorite things in the whole world; enjoying them on what could be her last day however, made them a bittersweet combination. Adding her younger brother and the beautiful Targaryen queen they had sailed the ocean to find created some mixed feelings, combined with the whole death poison making her body its playground. It seemed a lot to take in at once. 

 

“Let me see if I got this right” Yara reclined against the kraken headboard, her right hand pushing her up while her left kept a firm grasp on Daenerys’ hand “to get rid of this, that dornish girl needs to kill me” Theon sighed and ruffled his hair

 

“In a way” her brother sat down on the chair that Dany had left when she sat on the edge of the bed “it is the best chance we have Yara”

 

Her head turned to look at her brother with scepticism, however right he was having to pick between dying or dying and possibly coming back was something she never thought had been in the cards for her “That's fair” a small smile graced her lips while looking at Theon “if this is your way of telling me that you want the crown back, you don't have to kill me for it, you know”

 

The genuine laugh that escaped Theon’s lips made Yara smile. After everything he had been through, and all the pain he had suffered whatever made him smile would made her life, however brief it would be, worth its while.

 

“If I wanted the crown I would have tossed you off the side of  _ Black Wind _ on the way here” the siblings smiled at one another, glad that despite the circumstances they could still find a way to tease each other “and if I do it now I will never get her off my back” his thumb pointed to the blonde queen who was busy playing with Yara’s fingers.

 

“I would hope she wouldn't. The idea of someone doing my job and making your life impossible for the rest of your life brings me comfort in these times”

 

Dany smiled at the Greyjoys and sat straight and proud “I would be honored to do that for you, and for your information  _ prince Theon I— _ ”

 

“I'm sorry your majesties” the healer interrupted the light hearted talk, sticking his head through the door with a small vial of liquid in his hand “we are going to begin shortly”

 

Theon and Dany looked at Yara and sighed with resignation. Yara smiled at the healer who seemed as uncomfortable with the scene as she was and gave him a small thank you before he closed the door. 

 

“Yara I…”

 

Yara sighed and rolled her eye at the tearing up ironborn “Please Theon, don't go soft on me” she began slipping down into the covers, trying not to lose hold of Dany’s hand as she went “we talked about this, just keep with the plan”

 

Theon cleared his throat and began stepping out of the room slowly, careful to examine every detail of his sister’s face. Unbeknownst to her, he had spent much of his free time walking about the docks, asking the old gods to keep his sister by his side. They had taken the only family he had ever known from him, the idea of losing his sister felt a bit too much “I know I… I will give you two some time while I bring back uncle Victarion and Tirius” 

 

Dany and Yara smiled at him, thankful for his thoughtfulness, and as he closed the door they turned to look at each other with sadness. 

 

Yara’s hands came to meet Daenerys’ on her lap, “So, this is it, isn’t it?”

 

Daenerys sighed and continue staring at their hands, her eyes vacant. Yara was trying her best to ignore the pain and the multitude of potions she had been fed to remain awake. Her focus was on the queen in front of her, who didn't seem comfortable with the situation.

 

“Dany, are you…”

 

“I have to go” Yara scrunched up her hands in her sheets as Daenerys stood and walked away without looking back at her. As the door slammed closed the ironborn queen whispered something unintelligible to herself, her head leaning against the pillows to examine her cabin for what might be the last time.

 

-oOoOo-

 

“I can't believe you are actually going through with helping that salty fish” Obara picked up her head from sharpening the head of her spear to stare at her sister incredulously “we don't exactly benefit from this”

 

“I think it's something I can do, so why not?”

 

Nymeria swaggered in through the door, recoiling her whip as she went, with a self assured smile gracing her lips “Because without the fish, I get to bed the dragon of course”

 

“This is not about you Nym” the young Sand began picking up books and vials as she went, trying to prepare everything that was not in  _ Black Wind _ for the procedure that would take place at sundown “and, I don't think the queen would bed you if the other queen dies. She’ll only harden up”

 

“Why? What have you noticed?”

 

“Other than your visiting every brothel in this city?” Nymeria rolled her eyes at her sister as she walked out “every time I walk in there, the queen is sitting at her bedside. Seems like you would have better luck bedding the little Lannister” 

 

-oOoOo-

 

Daenerys walked on  _ Black Wind _ with a very heavy heart. The moment she had walked away from Yara’s cabin, maybe for the last time, had been plaguing her. By the time her feet had carried her back to the door, Victarion and Theon had barred it. The fact that for the first time since the accident she was barred from being in Yara’s cabin hurt, in a strange way.

 

A large garrison of the unsullied took up post in most of the ship, with several helping carry strange tubing and crystal containers from  _ Sea Spear _ to  _ Black Wind _ as the healers stomped in and out of the cabin. Tyene Sand had been escorted by Obara and Nymeria, the two looking about as unhappy with what their sister was doing as Dany was with not being able to take back what she had done to Yara. Her humor didn't improve with how rushed the healers seemed, or how many times she had spotted Theon pacing back and forth through the cabin door whenever it opened.

 

Without meaning to, her hand reached out to one of the healers who rushed past her. Usually she tried to not demand things from anyone; her position as Queen never got to her feelings, at least not when her emotions were in check, this was an exception.

 

“How can I help you your grace?” 

 

Dany’s mouth opened slightly to ask something, and ultimately decided to simply use her hand to point at the door, expressing her need to be there for the woman she hadn’t said goodbye to when given the chance. The healer’s eyes opened widely, conflicted between the orders of the Lord Captain of the iron fleet and the queen of Meereen and Westeros. Ultimately he decided being thrown overboard was better than being roasted alive and probably eaten by dragons. 

 

The cabin door squeaked open as the healer walked in. Much of the light of the room for once, was provided by the reds and oranges of the sky as the sun set, it softened the impact of the scene on the bed. 

 

Four large crystal containers rested on the right side of the bed, connected to Yara’s face, neck, and chest by thick tubing of some kind, that were all connected to something that two healers were fussing over. 

 

Tyene and the head healer were standing on the side with Victarion and a distraught Theon, the two first explaining the procedure to the Greyjoy’s as thoroughly as possible. The room stopped moving at the sight of Daenerys, with everyone bowing at her.

 

Victarion looked at his niece and nephew before growling out his discontent to the silver headed monarch “Your grace, I assumed we were clear on the invitation to this room”

 

“I…”

 

“No, it's fine uncle” Theon’s head picked up slowly from his dejected position and smiled at the queen “please your grace, join us” Daenerys hesitated for a second before shuffling next to Theon. The Greyjoy's and Daenerys were briefed on the “simple” procedure that would take place.

 

A combination of assorted herbs and potions would make sure that the poison would push past its restraints and direct itself straight to Yara’s heart and lungs. There, her blood would pump out at a rapid pace, flowing into her lungs where the second part of the poison would proceed to coagulate it, drowning the queen. The pumps connected to her face and chest would serve the purpose of distributing the blood and the improvised sets of antidotes that were in four jars. 

 

The contraption that the healers were tinkering with would apparently shift the contents of the jars out of them and into Yara’s body on one end while separating her blood and the poison. If all went well, Yara would be lost to the world for a small amount of time, before the black poison began receding from her body and dripping into the containers. If things went wrong however, well that was something they did not want to think about. 

 

“If your graces would like, you can remain in the room, or be free to wait outside”

 

“No” Theon shook his head and answered for all three of them “we've spent too long waiting outside. If we will leave with our sanity it will have to be inside Yara’s cabin”

 

“As you please” Tyene stepped backwards and began the final preparations on the green concoction that was bubbling inside the container furthest from Yara’s face. Daenerys never realized when she had been directed to an empty area of the crammed room, her hands fiddling with the hem of her skirt, her eyes never leaving Yara’s pale figure as the last minute details were finalized; the room was heavy with the possibility that, should they fail, they would be presiding over a funeral at this time tomorrow. 

 

“She will be okay” Theon’s half smile did little to soothe the ache in Daenerys’ chest, though she appreciated the sentiment “she's a fighter”

 

Victarion sat on the bench next to Theon with a heavy sigh, rubbing his face tiredly “Let's pray that the drowned god wills her to fight for us and not for him today” the words resonated with Daenerys’ previous experience. She had prayed the great stallion would not take her beloved once, and that had gone away with his life. 

 

She would not pray for Yara to stay, not to a god she did not believe in. Then again she had never really worshipped any deity. 

 

Faith, luck, whatever governed every second of her life, they owed her for every single bruise, every death and every tear shed. The gods were cruel and capricious, but the law of life was simple, for every painful experience there was a silver lining; her silver lining was Yara. Every second spent by her side had been worth every tear and every ache, the world dare not take that from her. Because by the old gods and the new she would tear down the doors of the seven hells to get her back.

 

Tyene sighed and closed the leather book in her hands. She stared at the ironborn for the smallest of seconds before looking at the blonde queen, whose purple eyes were filled with strength and hope “It is time”

 

-oOoOo-

 

_ The cliffs of Pyke were rarely beautiful.  _

 

_ Sure, they sat next to the big blue expanse that was the sea, and when the light shone just right they would make the iron in the rocks shimmer, giving the old rock a mystical glow.  _

 

_ On this occasion however, the beauty came from elsewhere. Yara scrunched up her face in wonder, all she could hear was the quiet lull of the ocean crashing against the rocks, and the silent cries of the sea wind whispering past her. The castle where she had grown up also looked strangely different, the rocks newer, the place warmer and much more welcoming.  _

 

_ Something did not add up. Being a warrior who was proud of her instincts, Yara felt strange about the situation. Usually her neck hair would stand on end in strange circumstances, her hand would twitch at the pommel of her short sword. But that once again was not the case, she felt lighter than she ever had before; she felt at peace. _

 

_ “Yara?” The strange voice made the warrior queen nearly jump out of her skin. She turned on herself stepping as far from the voice as possible trying to gain some ground to fight whoever thought it wise to sneak up on her.  _

 

_ The attempt to regin her footing was startled by shock, leading her to unceremoniously land on her ass. The figure who the voice belonged to and its companion were so familiar yet so strange, the ironborn found herself speechless for the first time in her life. _

 

_ A man and a woman stood at the end of the corridor. They were young and dressed in ironborn leathers. The man was young, tall and handsome, his dark hair, skinny face, black eyes, and shiny black armor contrasted with the woman who stood at his side. Her hair a beautiful light honey brown, cascading down her light grey dress in waves, her blue eyes full of laughter and love. Try as she might, Yara could not place them. It felt as if the answer was on the tip of her tongue, but her brain could not connect the dots. _

 

_ “Yara?” The voice repeated, the figures growing closer to the downed warrior who could not peel herself off the ground “Yara is the you?” _

 

_ The second figure smiled sarcastically at his female companion “Stupid question to ask Alannys” the two individuals stood a foot away from Yara’s boots. Their appearance a welcoming change from the otherwise quiet castle “Yara, I thought I thought you better than to sit on your ass” _

 

_ The condescending statement snapped the queen out of her stupor, her eyebrows knitting in confusion “father?” _

 

_ - _ oOoOo-

 

Daenerys found confidently say that she was very gold at shaking old habits. For a very long time she had had many, picking at the loose strands of fibers in her clothing or biting her nails had been some of her hardest habits to beat, though they would occasionally come back. 

 

One however was the one Daenerys liked the least. When Viserys would begin one of his tirades as a child, she would try to focus her attention elsewhere. She quickly discovered that happy thoughts, or any thoughts for that fact, never worked to completely shut him out. But pain did. One day and entirely by accident Daenerys discovered that if she stretched her fingers as she made a fist, her nails would dig into her palm and she could much easily focus on the pain than whatever issue was at hand. She hated it of course, her fingers would hurt and the nails would make dents in her palms that would burn and bleed if she pressed hard enough; but it served its purpose. 

 

That is what she found herself doing when her skirt ran out of loose strands and her nails were but a memory. The jagged remains of her nails began digging into her palms, her breathing became shallow and anxious, her legs began bouncing in place, and she could say without a shadow of a doubt that her throat was closing on purpose to make her breath harder and much more often. 

 

More often than not her eyes would drift to the scene in front of her, to see if maybe seeing progress would calm her down, but how wrong she was. Four healers were pumping frantically at the jars tops, where an iron rod aided them. Tyene and the head healer were doing their best to restrain Yara and stop the blood that was flowing out of her nose and mouth, her body was racked with spasms and moans as the poison sped up. 

 

The viewers had been informed of the likelihood that the poison would cause her a larger bleed than expected, possibly leading to her eyes, ears, nose or mouth to bleed uncontrollably (though they were not told if that was a good or a bad sign). It was one thing to be told that and prepare yourself mentally, and another to actually see it. Theon and Dany gasped quietly as Yara’s ears began sporting a red stream and her screams of pain intensified. 

 

Eventually the screams were quieted by the sound of gurgling. Two people who had seen their fair share of blood were struck at the painful scene, fighting to keep down their lunch and hope that she could pull out of such a horrible experience. Tyene indicated that the second and fourth jars should stop pumping as the body on the bed stopped shaking entirely and the blood towed out of every available orifice. Daenerys involuntarily released a sob, she had been told the stop of any of the jars indicated that Yara was gone, and the race against life itself began.

 

-oOoOo-

 

**_Every person who ever called me a salty fish must be having a laugh about now_ ** _. Yara felt the need to laugh herself, if only the shock would leave her, which was clearly exemplified by the fact that her mouth was hanging open, and would not close no matter how much she tried. _

 

_ The man, who Yara had correctly identified as a much younger Balon Greyjoy, intensified his condescending smile as he looked at his daughter “If you are trying to catch fish like that I am sorry to inform you it is not very efficient” _

 

_ “Balon please” the woman threatened quietly “she is not at fault here” the beautiful woman kneeled down to reach the ironborn queen. Her eyes soft and clear like the beautiful blue ocean, full of love, more than Yara had experience in a long time “my beautiful Yara, look at how you have grown” _

 

_ Shock value by itself had managed to make Yara’s jaw drop, and shock had done the job of closing it. Yara’s eyes widened, the grey that usually was iron, tough and unforgiving, now seemed stormy and conflicted. She leaned in to examine the beautiful woman who had spoken to her, trying to assure herself that she was not crazy, that she was actually there. _

 

_ “M...m—”  _

 

_ “It's okay sweetheart” the woman stretched a hand to clean the tears Yara had not felt fall “you are safe here” without a warning the emotionless tough queen launched herself into the woman’s arms, sobbing desperately into her chest.  _

 

_ Yara had not allowed herself to cry a single tear for her mother. The day when her body had been sent back into the ocean, after her cruel murder, she promised herself that she would never be weak, and she would never cry—until now. Without meaning to the sobs racked her body as the tears dampened the former Lady Greyjoy's dress, her arms clung desperately to the only person who had ever showed Yara that emotion was strength, fearing that should she let go she would disappear, like the smoke of so many candles.  _

 

_ “It's okay my love, it's okay” the melodious voice of the woman who had brought her to the world carried out it's magic of calming down her heartfelt sobs.  _

 

_ At her side, Balon was fairly uncomfortable at the situation, never really having approved of his wife’s soft treatment of any of their children; he believed to be unwavering and feared like the ocean there was little or no room for soft feelings, but women believed different from men. _

 

_ “Alannys, we've no time for this” _

 

_ Alannys sighed as her hand caressed Yara’s hair, drawing her attention “I know. Yara my daughter, you have to know that your father and I, in our own way, are very proud of your accomplishments” _

 

_ “As proud as can b—oof” Balon’s under-his-breath statement was caught off by Lady Greyjoy punching his gut. _

 

_ “As I was saying. You've come a long way, and have a long way to go my dear. Keep faith and trust your instincts as you've always had. Please do not let vengeance get in the way of your true goal” _

 

_ “Mum I… I don't understand. Why are you out of time? I thought I—” _

 

_ “Dead?” Balon let out the equivalent of a laugh for a man whose facial muscles never seemed to move for anything other than scowling “if only it were that easy. No that is a ways away, if you truly are my daughter and learnt the lessons I tried to teach you we will not see you for a long time” _

 

_ “I understand” _

 

_ “We have to go. We love you Yara, you probably will not remember this, but if ever the time comes for this conversation to surface with your brother, please tell him the same” _

 

_ “I will. He made mistakes, but he has learnt, and he will put the Greyjoy name back to its rightful honor” _

 

_ “If on—ouch” Balon was once again stopped mid sentence by his wife elbowing him in the ribs “your brother will make us proud as well. Sail well Yara” _

 

_ “I will father. Goodbye mum, thank you” _

 

_ - _ oOoOo-

 

Theon was trying his best, to fight against ever flight instinct that told him to run out of the room, to protect Daenerys from the horrible sight in front of them. The healers had given up on pumping the poison out of her when the tubing clogged, and had proceeded to draining it out by hand, poking holes into Yara’s skin as vials of something was funneled down her throat and through her arms.

 

“She'll pull through your grace have faith” Theon’s eyes were closed so there was no real way he could tell if things were working or not, but Daenerys would not need to know that.

 

For her part, the Targaryen queen had retreated deep into her own mind. She was fighting a losing battle against every painful lesson that had led to her strong character. She had believed for a long time that her days of losing control, crying over anything, or displaying more than the necessary emotion were long gone, but boy was she wrong. The sight of the youngest Sand, who had simply come to Meereen to take her back to Westeros, funneling potion after potion into Yara, while blood seeped out of the ironborn queen had rendered her speechless and catatonic. Even Theon’s voice was a small intelligible whispers for the last dragon. 

 

Queen Daenerys Targaryen, who to her enemies was a marble carving, beautiful and mystifying but hard and cold, began feeling hot tears stream down her face as sobs racked her body. All the poison out of Yara’s skin did not seem to bring her back; even moans of pain and spasms would do, but the stillness strongly reflected the speed at which Daenerys heart was approaching. 

 

As Tyene and the healers stepped away from the bed, Tyrion, Victarion and Daenerys approached the bed, their feet heavy and dragging on the wooden floor. Victarion always the epitome of a Greyjoy remained standing at the foot of the bed, his head ducked down in a form of respect. Theon half carried half dragged Daenerys’ small fragile body to the head of the bed, where she landed knees first, her trembling hands on Yara’s face. His task complete he straightened out and stood next to his uncle. Neither really knew who began the prayer to their god, but the resignation in the timbre of their voice was immediately identifiable.

 

“What is dead may never die” their voices bounced off the darkened solemn room, the healers joined in the respect ducking their heads, darkening the room by snuffing the few scattered candles across the room “but rises back, harder and stronger”

 

Daenerys brushed the hair out of Yara’s face, Tyene had managed to clear up the blood that no longer flowed, leaving the queen looking more peaceful and pain free than she had in a long time. The sharp Greyjoy features and alabaster skin playing a beautiful contrast with the mess that had been made of her featherbed and pillows. Dany didn't try to stop the tears, or move from the uncomfortable position she had landed in, all she was cared about at the moment was admiring, perhaps for the last time, the face of another person she had allowed herself to care for, who had been taken from her once more. 

 

“What is dead may never die” Daenerys believed her ancestors would probably be revolving in their graves at her small prayer to the drowned God, but that she cared little about that “but rises back, harder and stronger” her head dropped to Yara’s chest as she continued sobbing, the cabin inundated with silent tears and pain for the queen who had lost so much. The ship swayed and rocked against the dock strongly, the ocean and the wind joining her in her grief at the loss of the warrior Queen.

 

Healers and ironborn alike held back a gasp when something interrupted their prayer; that the interruption was not exactly aimed at them didn’t matter, what mattered is that the interruption existed “Queens don't cry love” the raspy whisper was faint and almost inaudible, but it had done more to lift all the spirits in the room than anything else would have, what followed however split them between shock and laughter “if another person prays for me I will rip out their insides”

 

Violet met grey as Dany picked up her head ever so slowly, fearing if she moved too quick she would go back to grieving instead of celebrating. But her eyes and ears did not lie, Yara Greyjoy was smiling as best she could; and that is where all hell broke loose.

 

Tyrion and Victarion rushed to pull Dany off of Yara as the healers rushed to Yara in a mad dash to stabilize what might be their last shot at keeping her in the land of the living, but from the look she was giving Dany one thing was clear, she was not going anywhere.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Don't forget, follow and scream at me on tumblr @TheIronDragonRants!


	9. The Battles Worth Fighting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey y'all. Thanks for the kudos and the comments. I'm going to admit that the ending to Game of Thrones kind of ruined my writing/editing these chapters. BUT I'll be damned if I let D&D ruin my very gay story, so here we are! This has also been ready for a good few months, but I'm finally in the right head space to actually like what I'm writing, and I hope you do too! 
> 
> Without further ado, here we go!

Yara Greyjoy had rarely taken crap from anyone in her life. From the moment a sword had been put in her hand and a ship below her feet she had been fearless, her own boss in every sense of the word; across the known world the pirate queen, daughter of the kraken, captain of the feared Black Wind, was a sight to be feared. 

 

The living legend had also spent an entire week biting dust and getting commands barked at her, and it was getting on her nerves. 

 

It had taken quite a lot to put her back on her feet. Potions and rest had been recommended for a while, but once she was on her feet, Victarion Greyjoy demanded she join Theon in his training with Greyworm. 

 

The Unsullied general was the ideal person to teach the broken Greyjoys. Having been trained to not surrender in a fight until death knocked at his door. A lost eye, body twitches or some lost fingers would never be enough to keep an Unsullied down, and it would not keep Yara and Theon down either. 

 

The training though was brutal. Much of the basic weapons training had been skipped, Theon was a very strong archer and Yara was an amazing swordsman; learning how to do that with their new disabilities with the same skill is where they found a wall. 

 

Theon and Greyworm’s second in command spent quite a long time equipping a bow for him, one he could hold and use with ease. Time and time again however, Yara found herself losing her feet when the area she couldn't see was attacked, and it was extremely frustrating. Her instincts told her that she didn’t need her sight to know how to defend her right flank, but the fact that she was not half blind out of choice but forcefully frustrated both her and her abilities. 

 

“Up” Greyworm picked up Yara’s practice sword and offered her the hilt, the queen frowned at the offered sword and picked herself up angrily. The unsullied general began drilling her on the movements her body was familiar with, but her inability to see the person who the voice belonged to was far outweighing her concentration, and Greyworm was far too observant to ignore it.

 

“Is something wrong?” His heavy accent did little to disguise the sarcasm in his voice when addressing the queen. 

 

“Nothing” Yara, always her stubborn self, shook her head and squared her shoulders, scowling deeply at the man who had the audacity to put her on the ground. She was Yara Greyjoy, the daughter of the Kraken, the deepest fear of the men sailing the narrow sea, not a sack of wheat. 

 

Greyworm twirled his sword in his hand and crouched low, staring at Yara with cold eyes, looking for the opportunity to strike at the warrior. Yara’s boots picked up dust, attempting to bring a distraction to the ever focused Unsullied, and swung her sword to sweep his feet under him. Greyworm jumped over the sword and shoved Yara to the ground with his shoulder. Despite her awkward landing, Yara was on her feet in seconds, nostrils flaring under her anger. 

 

“Strong warrior knows to take help. Good leader knows it is not weakness to need help” his boots crunched with the dirt ground as he turned heel and walked away. 

 

The ironborn sighed, walking towards the weapons shed dejected. Any ironborn knew that you were never down until the last breath in your lungs was taken from you, the Drowned God always demanded his future oarsmen to never surrender, regardless of the cost. The loss of her eye should not be a reason to keep her down. Hell, she had come out of a situation that had all the odds stacked against her and was on her feet in an incredibly short time span. Yet there she was, putting a blunt practice sword away and looking forward to taking a bath to rid herself of all the Meereenese dust she had accumulated the whole morning. The fact that she would be spending time with the feisty Targaryen Queen added to her discontent. 

 

-oOoOo-

 

“Your grace” a much cleaner and refreshed Yara Greyjoy walked into Dany’s private chambers with a much held back swagger from her usual attitude. Losing depth perception had really done a number on her anger, and taken away much of her easy going personality.

 

“Your Majesty” the queen was reclining comfortably on her large couch, a wine goblet lazily resting on her hand, a half cocked smile enhancing her already beautiful features. 

 

“Here we go with the titles”

 

Dany smiled at the gentle jibbing, lightly patting the spot next to her on the couch. “You started. Sit” the queen passed Yara a goblet of wine of her own, frowning at the realization that something was wrong with her “How was training today?”. 

 

Yara’s grip tightened on the cup in her hand, her shoulders tensed and, despite not really moving away from her, the distance between the two increased by miles; since recovering from her nearly miraculous procedure the queens had barely had any time with each other, with Yara split between resting and coordinating the building of the Targaryen fleet, and Daenerys regaining control of her city’s affairs from Tyrion. At first it seemed like life was simply getting back into rhythm, and queens simply attending to their people. But Daenerys Targaryen was not stupid, Yara Greyjoy had been avoiding her, and she was going to get to the bottom of why.

 

“As usual”

 

“I would normally know what usual means, except I no longer know what usual with you is” Dany’s hand tentatively reached over to touch Yara’s, as slowly as possible to keep her from pulling away. The object of her attention stood before her hand could fully reach her, the back of Yara’s head faced her, the woman truly knew how to test her patience “Yara, I am not your enemy here”

 

“I do not understand what that would add to the conversation” Yara downed the goblet entirely and reached for the decanter that usually belonged to Tyrion. The dark heavy liquid filled her goblet, the familiar action managed to calm her down. 

  
  


“Yara...”

 

“Daenerys” the hostility in Yara’s voice made the Targaryen queen recline back in her seat. 

 

Daenerys was no stranger to the whispers and the horror stories that followed Yara. Theon had spent many days telling her many stories of what he Ned Stark had told him about his family across the years when Catelyn Stark was not around. Rodrik and Maron had been feared throughout the seven kingdoms before their death, and at his prime so was Balon Greyjoy, as was Victarion Greyjoy. Despite his reputation for being a bit touched in the mind, Euron too lived up to his legend. But it was the mystery surrounding Yara that Theon could never truly relay. His sister had been unknown to him for most of his childhood, but the legend of a Greyjoy who ship hands dare not come across was heard far and wide across the seven kingdoms when Theon, Jon and Robb were graduating to real steel swords. Speaking to Tyrion on the subject assured her that Yara was not to be messed with when she was cross, with the Crown occasionally sending the Greyjoys coffers of various resources for “their troubles”. How Dany had landed on the bad side of the legendary woman was a mystery to her.

 

“Have I done something to upset you that I know nothing about?”

 

“No” the heel in her boots clicked with the ground as the Greyjoy queen paced about the room, the decanter continually refilling the goblet as it emptied “You have done nothing”

 

“So what is the explanation for your foul mood?”

 

The storm grey in Yara’s gaze pinned the strong willed queen to her seat, maybe it was fear or something else “You left. What could have been my last, our last moments meant nothing to you. You left, like everyone else”

 

“Yara I…”

 

“Don’t worry your majesty I understand” Yara smacked her goblet into the wooden table where many a good time had been spent between them, loud enough to startle Daenerys “I understand perfectly” The predatory smile managed to unsettle the queen as much as the withheld anger “You and I have nothing to speak about my queen. If that is all I would like to get back to work”

 

When Daenerys eventually processed what was happening, she was alone in her chambers, a chill spread through her body, and the queen truly did not know if she should attribute it to the dropping temperature at night or the realization that her one regret since Yara’s injury would cost her more than she originally believed it would. 

 

-oOoOo-

 

Theon and Yara were walking towards  _ Black Wind _ as slowly as humanly possible. Neither had really talked about anything since Yara had been on her feet. They would spend most of their days together, helping with the construction of the flag ship in Daenerys’ fleet, but they didn’t talk about important things, only the most trivial of subjects would cross their days, if anything. It seemed like life changing experiences would create a different reaction in different people; some would take life with both hands and lived it as best they could, and others would retreat into themselves. 

 

“Yara—”

 

“Theon—”

 

The Greyjoy siblings smiled at each other, with Yara allowing her brother to take the lead in the conversation. “Yara, I don’t know what happened between your injury and now, but you helped me, and I would like to help you”

 

“I don’t know what you mean baby brother”

 

“Yes you do. You forget I know what this is” the younger Greyjoy sighed, trying to talk to his sister when she wouldn’t even look at him was very hard. The welcoming atmosphere in  _ Black Wind _ , a starry night with the breeze of the ocean ruffling their hair made Yara sigh, which Theon took as possibly his one and only opening “Yara, you can trust me”

 

The queen reclined against the dark oak of the ship, trying to look at the details around her and the stars in the sky, anything but the man who stood in front of her with more concern that she had been shown in a while “Have you ever felt like the world stopped being for you?”

 

“I have”

 

“How did you deal with it?”

 

“A person, who tried to save me from my own stupid decisions, reminded me that if you do not find life worth living then stop living it, because the air you waste can go to other people” Yara chuckled lightly at Theon’s antics, knowing her brother loved to make her words come back to her “You and I have been faced with bad things in life, but I have never thought of you as a person who would give up when the sailing gets rough, more as one who will sail through the storm and come out the other end with quite the story to tell” his twitching hand landed on her armored shoulder, his grey eyes soft with understanding “what you are carrying is a burden, and one I know you want to carry alone. Never forget, if that is too hard, I am always here to carry it with you; as you did with me. Sleep on it your grace, or enjoy the stars”

 

“Thank you Theon”

 

“It’s what you pay me for” Theon winked at her before taking his leave, thoroughly enjoying the quiet of the night. 

 

Yara sat on the mast as her brother walked towards his cabin, a small spring in his step that she rarely got to see. One thing about him was certain, her little brother had grown from the annoying crying brat to a wise man, and Yara didn’t really know how to feel about that, except for smiling and shaking her head. 

 

-oOoOo-

 

Greyworm rarely found his thoughts drifting anywhere. It was unbecoming of a highly trained Unsullied, even more of the leader of all the Unsullied, to lose his wits to trivial subjects. And yet here he was.

 

Since the Greyjoys arrival, tails between their legs and ships beneath their feet, the general kept getting caught off guard by their ways. Normally people who treated with his queen always had a secret agenda, one that the Queen would be aware of and would expose to them, before serving them to her dragons. 

 

But they were different, and that unsettled him. Yara and Theon had time and time again proven their loyalty to the breaker of chains and mother of dragons. So when the chance came, he volunteered to put Yara back on her feet with a sword in her hand. But try as he might he could not break through whatever wall she had put between herself and the world. That thought alone, of failing a mission that seemed so simple, led him to the last place he would find himself in voluntarily. 

 

“Greyworm, how can I help you?” Tyrion leaned heavily on the oak door with his usual wine cup in hand. His chambers were dark except for a single candle on a table, that provided just enough light for the Lannister to read his parchments on the comfortable sitting area.  _ Probably not good for his old eyes _ . Tyrion opened the door wider, hunting around for the spare candles that he had put somewhere “Please, make yourself comfortable”

 

“I come to see you for help” the Unsullied paced to stand in front of Tyrion’s chair, staring at the many bookcases full to the brim with parchments and different trinkets

 

“Is this about Missandei?”

 

“No. It’s about the Greyjoy queen” One of the candles in Tyrion’s hand slipped from surprise, rare were the times when he and Greyworm talked about anything not concerning Daenerys, far stranger were the times he would come knocking, but this was highly unexpected “I've trained her for a fortnight. I tried to make her better for our Queen. Every Unsullied tactic I've tried, but she—”

 

“She is not an Unsullied, and is not responding how you expect. I see” Tyrion reclined in his seat, setting down the newly lit candles on the table. Many of the parchments that were hard to see before were revealed: maps of Westeros, sailing guides and ship sketches, Tyrion was hard at work getting ready to sail “What you need to understand is warriors come in all types”

 

“I know this. I spend many days learning about warriors of the seven kingdoms with Missandei. She teach me about Kingsguard and Northerners and…”

 

“No that is all fine, but it is not what I meant” Tyrion put down his cup and leaned in, his elbows resting on his knees “There are the warriors who will never be put down, and those who yield. The last ones do not matter because those who yield are weak, and the weak don’t last much”

 

“This is true”

 

“But of the first type there are many. The mad dogs who fight on regardless of the consequences, and the people who face obstacles they never imagined would ever be ahead of them, and have to find a way to face a new reality” Greyworm frowned, or at least it was a deeper scowl. Tyrion realized he had insulted the man who had learnt to fight until you could not fight anymore “That is not to say all who fight on are mad. But some are” the scowl lightening from murderous to simply a frown gave him room to continue “Yara Greyjoy is facing a reality that the man who stole her life has also taken from her what earned her respect, her ability to use a sword and defend herself, without relying on anyone else”

 

“I train her, I tell her asking help is not weakness, but she does not”

 

“Not do I expect her to. Greyjoys, and ironborn are proud and very stubborn. Balon Greyjoy, her psychotic father, was known throughout the seven kingdoms for stupid rebellions and far more pride than his sword and ships could buy” for a second the dwarf smiled to himself, remembering the cocky Theon Greyjoy he had met so long ago “Yara Greyjoy was the only outlet of his madness for very long; while smarter about her rule, she is no less prideful than her father, and it shows”

 

“How do I fight this?”

 

“You do not fight pride Greyworm” part of him knew it was foolish to waste good wine on an empty cup, but he still served Greyworm on one of the crystal goblets next to his own “You find a way to appeal to it. As a military man, I imagine you will find a way to do this” Tyrion raised his goblet to drink the sweet wine in it, though the sight of the sour stone faced Greyworm taking a large swig of the cup in front of him froze him in place, regardless of his disgust face at the taste it was still a sight to behold.

 

“I will use your advice Lord Lannister” before Tyrion could insist on being called Tyrion, or possibly insisting to see him take a swig again, the Unsullied man walked out of the room with a lot in his mind. 

 

-oOoOo-

 

Yara picked herself off the floor angrily, dust flying off her as she stood, her sword grasped in an angry white knuckled grip.

 

“Up”

 

“I have had enough” the sound of steel bouncing off the ground echoed through the otherwise silent space “All this training is pointless, and I have had enough”

 

“If you do not fight, you do not live” Greyworm blocked the only path out with his body and his spear, he would not fail this mission.

 

“I don’t care”

 

“Why escape death” realizing that Yara would not even fight to leave the area they were in made him put down his spear back to resting position “if you will not fight, why not die before”

 

“I… I”

 

“We fight. We all fight” his hand reached out to offer her the sword hanging from his scabbard, knowing it was a last ditch effort but one that would be worth it, if she took it “if we do not fight, we die. If we die, our enemies win. Your uncle wins if you do not fight”

 

Yara’s gaze landed on the sword being offered to her, and then on the man offering it. Life was never the sweetest for her, and it was not the most glamorous by any means, but what little she had the world had been desperate to take from her. Her mother, her brothers, even her father however cruel he was, her home, all that Yara considered hers was taken. If she allowed one more thing to be taken from her, then how could she ever call herself queen? How had she so vehemently asked for Theon to be himself again and fight with her if she would not fight for herself? How could she fight for Daenerys if she would not fight for herself?

 

“We fight” her whisper was faint, almost inaudible in the hustle and bustle that was going on outside their small training area, but Greyworm had heard, loud and clear. Her right arm took the sword, while her left swiped the dirt that covered her face, noting to herself that the rag she was using to cover her injured eye would need to be changed sooner than expected.

 

Greyworm nodded satisfactorily and repeated “We fight” before beginning to give Yara a new drill. The queen would probably land on the floor again and again, but at least he knew that she would not be giving up any time soon. 

 

-oOoOo-

 

The midnight blue cloak that had done its very important task of concealing her silver hair while walking through the streets of Meereen seemed more a hindrance on the docks. The sea breeze seemed intent on revealing her identity to the sleeping inhabitants of the ship she was trying to board, but the more it pushed the quicker Daenerys got to her destination. 

 

Squeaking and squealing had previously accompanied the swing of the door that separated Yara’s cabin from the rest of  _ Black Wind _ , but since the queen’s recovery she had insisted on every door and hinge being oiled properly, promising to make the oiler squeal if she ever heard the annoying sound ever again. Without meaning to, that was making Daenerys’ job of sneaking around much easier. 

 

Missandei told her that Greyworm had finally made a breakthrough with Yara. More than that, the loudest of all accolades came from the drunken second sons who had been heard speaking rather loudly about the “fish queen” taking on 5 Unsullied at a time and wiping them clear. If Greyworm had managed to breach that wall Lady Greyjoy had built around herself, maybe Daenerys could do it too, all she needs is to try.

 

“Walking into the captain’s cabin unannounced and uninvited is quite a breach of etiquette, more so for a queen” The smooth voice in the nearly darkened room scared the wits out of the Targaryen queen, who nearly jumped out of her skin and screeched loudly “Good evening your majesty, what brings you here” seeing Yara in the darkened room was a task, but hearing her seemed a lot more daunting. 

 

Yara’s leather boots smacked into the wooden floor with every step, and the few candles in the room made her shadow seem sinister, playing with the light on her face. Her improvised eye patch and predatory smile played nicely with the darkness of the room, Dany felt small, the hairs on the back of her neck standing on end. She could try to run, but it was clear that her feet would not respond, something deep inside told her that there was nothing to fear, Yara would not hurt her. 

 

“I…” the queen found herself a mere foot away from Yara. Her hands were playing with the hem of her skirt, and Yara’s were locked behind her back. Neither seemed to want to give ground, and in her eye she could see that this was a game to her “you’re playing with me”

 

“Oh, with how you frighten me? I would not dare” One of Yara’s hands shot out to slam the door closed, resting it on the queen’s forearm after. Her head tilted ever so slightly, shifting the mischievous gaze from the queen’s amethyst eyes to the goosebumps on her arms, goosebumps left behind by her expert touch.

 

“.. _.Yara _ …” the queen’s soft voice rang out like the soft breeze that was rocking  _ Black Wind _ ’s sails “I came here to apolo--”

 

“Shh” the hand that was coursing its way up and down the queen’s arm lifted to tuck in a loose strand of her silver locks, before resuming its path. Yara’s lips slid next to the queen’s ear, her breath making a shiver run down her spine “you’ve nothing to apologize for your grace” just when Daenerys believed the surprises were over, her knees buckled as the pirate queen nibbled on her earlobe, making her back ram strongly against the door to not lose her footing. “You are Daenerys Stormborn, the breaker of chains and the mother of dragons” every word was punctuated with a kiss down her neck “who would ever think, the last dragon would sneak into my chambers, and writhe against my door” the playful statement punctuated by the lightest of bites on her pressure point, enough to cause reddening but not to leave a mark. Daenerys’ breath hitched as Yara’s ministration traveled down, whatever else her mouth had wanted to speak lost to the moans the expert Greyjoy elicited from her. 

 

“Oh seven hells” Daenerys raised her arms and pushed the smiling queen to the nearest seat, with her following soon after. If the kraken believed she could subdue the dragon, she had a lot to learn.

  
_ Black Wind _ swayed with the waves, her sails flying to the soft lull of the breeze, but this was a different night from all the others. Yara had found, deep within herself, that all battles were worth fighting, disadvantages be damned, but some battles were oh so worth fighting. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feel free to scream at me about the shitty things I do to our dope girls on @TheIronDragonRants !  
> Hit me with those comments of pterodactyl screeches!


	10. The Pirate Queen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for the awesome DM's and all the new Kudos! I hope the interest keeps up post end of GOT and my lengthy hiatus.

**The Pirate Queen**

Viserys Targaryen had never been the best brother in the world. Occasionally Dany would have nightmares about every single time his temper got away from him. She might not bear the physical scars, but the mental ones would always be there. Despite his rather horrendous approach at hands on parenting, he always prided himself on his Targaryen lineage, and made sure that Dany would know every great deed the Targaryens had to their name; be it great or small to the world, they were all great to him. 

 

One of his favorite stories was the carving of the painted table at Dragonstone, and he always liked telling her that, when his time came just like Aegon the Conqueror, he would sit at the table and plan for the day he would restore their family to greatness. 

 

The reason Daenerys enjoyed the story, was because he would always tell her it overlooking a large map of Westeros. While he was not exactly an amazing story teller, he would always be careful to take her hand over the mountains in the vale and the range separating Dorne from the seven kingdoms and make her picture the jagged wood that the table was made of; he never skipped a detail of how beautiful the table was, and how amazing it was to admire it. 

 

Dany could never truly connect to the magnificence of the map. Viserys had been in the map room in his childhood, and had even been in Westeros, so he could understand it. But stories of its beauty never really stuck with her; how something full of imperfections and jaggedness could ever be considered a beautiful piece of art was a wonder to her. Until now.

 

Sunlight was streaming through the glass panels in the cabin, providing a beautiful view of a magnificent art piece. During the night, Yara had turned her back to Dany lying face down with the crisp white sheets resting just low enough to cover her from the waist down. This and the natural lighting allowed the queen to admire the life story of Yara Greyjoy written on her skin. 

 

White skin covered with multiple slashes, marks, and puncture wounds. Relatively new scars and those faint enough to only be seen when the light hit them just right. Every scar was its own individual story that Dany was desperate to know. Unintentionally her hand began trailing the scars softly, making sure to not wake the sleeping woman. Some of the newer scars were bright red, making the Targaryen wonder if she had been the cause of these in their previous nightly  activities. 

 

“Like what you see” the sleepy muffled voice made Dany stop in her tracing of a small thick white scar on Yara’s shoulder, not surprised that the queen had woken up.

 

Dany leaned down, placing a feather soft kiss on the scar “Admiring what I see is more accurate”

 

Yara picked up the sheets and rolled over to face her bedmate, a soft smile playing on her face “Did you sleep well my queen?” her eye wandered up and down Daenerys’ body. She was wearing Yara’s dark blue shirt from the night before, one of her legs sprawled over the white sheets, smooth and tempting. Her hair, usually so well kept and beautifully arranged was disheveled and messy; her lack of a regal attire, the red marks on her neck and the bed head the posh queen was sporting made Yara very proud. 

 

A small giggle at Yara’s goofy smile escaped Daenerys’ lips, being admired suited her “Very well your grace, I must admit you ironborn know how to make your beds” 

 

“We know how to do things in those beds too” Yara slithered up Daenerys’ body, hovering over her enough to make the blonde hold out with anticipation. 

 

“I know” the queen stretched up enough to land a kiss on the Greyjoy woman, before pushing her into the bed “but time and tide wait for no one, and we have things to do” the blonde stood with determination, hunting for her scattered clothing determined to begin the day as quick as possible. Her task was interrupted by the nagging feeling that someone was looking at her. Slowly, she turned, eyebrow raised towards the queen who was much to occupied staring at her “like what you see?”

 

“Oh yes I do” Yara licked her lips with the ultimate intent of making the Targaryen queen laugh. Mission completed she followed along in the task of getting ready for the day, looking for clothing in the dresser near her bed “you are right however, there is much to be done today. And I have something to show you”

 

“Is that so?” Yara slipped on her shirt while Daenerys fitted herself with the white dress and blue cloak she had been wearing the night before “Any chance I might get a clue?”

 

“You’ll see”

 

-oOoOo-

 

Obara swiped the sweat off her brow with annoyance. Dorne was known for being far warmer than the other six kingdoms in Westeros. Her and her sisters had always enjoyed the warmth and lack of humidity in the air back home, the fact that they could pass the worst of the heat in the water gardens helped that amiability with it. 

 

But Meereen was on a whole new level of warm. It was sticky, and the heat did not rest, the only time they would get some kind of respite was at night or on the off chance they would visit  _ Sea Spear _ , and that the oldest Sand avoided because of the leering ironborn.

 

And the unbearable heat was worse during her training, her palms were sweaty, her face was dripping, and holding on to her spear was becoming impossible. What she wouldn’t do to return home.

 

“I recommend you use lighter colors if you want to avoid that, and carry a dry fabric with you at all times” Obara turned with her spear in an offensive position towards the voice that dared interrupt her training. At the single entrance of the area was a tall handsome man wearing light leather armor that jingled with the breeze, a single throwing knife with a woman carved in gold twirling in his hand.

 

“Do people on this end of the world not know to not approach someone with a deadly weapon in their hands?” Obara’s spear was switched to resting position, but she kept her eyes on every single movement of the—”Who are you?”

 

“My apologies” the man paced into the area smiling cheekily “my name is Daario Naharis, I am the commander of Daenerys Targaryen's second sons”

 

“Ah, the boy toy as it were” Obara raised her eyebrow at the cocky man, refusing to give him anymore of her precious time “If you will excuse me—”

 

“Oh I could, but I have watched you struggle with the heat for a while, I think I deserve to see it from up close” Daario stepped too close for comfort, but Obara held back. 

 

They had been told the second sons commander had been sent off by the queen to play ambassador. Nymeria had gotten the actual story from the captain that had taken him to Yunkai, it was more the short term exile for the man who thought too highly of himself. That is something Obara could not bring herself to respect, at least not before meeting the man. Up close and personal it was a different story.

 

“What you deserve is to sit back and lick your pride. Enjoy your heat Daario Naharis” the man stood aside staring daggers into Obara’s retreating back, itching to throw his knife, even if at the wall next to her as a warning to not mess with him. It seemed the more he attempted to get involved in the situation, the more he kept getting rebuffed, and even his short exiled had not changed that.

 

-oOoOo-

  
  


The cacophony that greeted the strolling queens in the docs was almost homely and familiar to them. Seagulls and the waves of the ocean mixed with the rocking and creaking of the ships, everything seemed kind of soothing to the women marching towards the dry docks. 

 

The closer they got to the docks where the ironborn where camped out in, the louder the symphony seemed to grow. The seagulls were replaced by hammering and sawing, and most of the boat rocking and ocean sounds replaced by orders being yelled mixed in with multiple insults ditched out by the ironborn captains. 

 

Daenerys for her part had become very used to the harsh way the Dothraki treated each other, combined with the harsh Dothraki language she had learnt to not be bothered by it, but this situation was different. The ironborn were quietly going about their work, it was the massive construction and occasional order yelling that really got the young queen, who was fighting a battle between reaching out to Yara, who seemed at home with the situation, and walking with her head held high without a care in the world. 

 

“You seem quiet?” Yara turned to look at the blonde woman walking at her side with intrigue. She could see that Dany was trying to keep her eyes ahead without flinching at the noise around her. 

 

“Just thinking” Yara did almost believe her, until someone onboard a ship dropped a large log, the noise reverberating loudly and making Daenerys flinch. And of course, Yara couldn’t help but laugh “Yara! It’s not funny”

 

“Of course not my queen” Yara of course failed to disguise her amused smile “It is adorable however” Dany began pouting, which of course led to the Greyjoy queen smiling much more widely “It is fine to jump at loud construction noises, you do know that?”

 

“I do” Dany’s response was followed by another smaller flinch, and her face scrunching up with displeasure “I am not very comfortable with this type of loud noise”

 

“We won’t be here for too long, I promise” to solidify her soothing tone, Yara reached down for the queen’s small hand, allowing her to draw comfort from her presence, and the fact that Yara would not let anything hurt her “Now, close your eyes and follow my lead”

 

“Yara…”

 

“I will not let anything hurt you Dany, now stop fussing and do as you’re told” Dany’s purple eyes grew dark with discontent, but closed her eyes and followed Yara’s lead. The loud noises still made her jumpy as Yara directed her steps through the docks, but the hand that led her gave her a lot of confidence, she was safe.

 

_ -Flashback- _

_ “Yara!” Dany had given up on keeping quiet a long time ago. Her intent had not been on this activity when she had left the pyramid. She meant to apologize to Yara for what was a really big mistake, and see where they would go from there.  _

 

_ The fact that she was now tangled in the dark blanket on Yara’s bed with the fierce queen between her legs showed that what we mean to do isn’t always best, and she would not complain a bit “gods Yara, you will be the death of me” _

 

_ “Never your grace” Yara crawled up the small trembling body of the queen that had been yelling her name so vehemently, even her panting breath was music to her ears “I will never hurt you Dany, and I will never let anything hurt you, I swear it by the old gods and the new” the excitement had turned into a tender moment. With the white sheets covering them, the vulnerability was lost, and all that they had left was an incredibly intimate moment, one they both wish would never end.  _

 

_ -End of Flashback- _

 

“Dany, I thought you were curious about what I had to show you?” Yara’s voice snapped her out of her memories, Daenerys had not realized that her legs had carried her through the docks, stopping at the largest of all the shipbuilding areas. 

 

In the dry dock, being fit with the large dragon head was her soon to be flagship. Men were walking up and down her deck carrying pots of varnish and tying ropes to and from the newly installed sails, the largest one a red targaryen dragon on a black sail flanked by smaller Greyjoy black sails with a golden kraken sigil. 

 

Despite her lack of sailing experience, Dany was taken aback by the incredible size and magnificence of the  _ Iron Dragon _ . At her side, Yara was trying to hold back her smile and failing rather miserably. Yara had been told Daenerys had acquired an interest in ships during her sick time, mostly  _ Black Wind _ . And as much as she hated to admit to it,  _ Iron Dragon _ was much grander than  _ Black Wind _ , it had even required a dry dock thrice the size of all others to fit properly, and she was proud of what they had constructed.

 

“Well?”

 

Dany snapped out of her trance to look at the cocky Greyjoy standing by her side, one of her eyebrows raised with amusement at her cheekiness, but she played along “Well what?” 

 

“Do you like it?” Yara reclined against the handrail calmly, waiting for Daenerys to really shake off whatever had taken hold of her on their walk. The amethyst eyes focusing their full attention on her nearly made her blush, something Yara Greyjoy would never be caught dead doing, though her powers of self-control became very hard pressed when Daenerys, swift like the wind, stepped up to her, the only separation provided by their difference in height keeping their faces away from each other. 

 

“I do, I like it very much” to the untrained ear the statement might have sounded like simple appreciation for the ironborn’s hard work, but Yara knew better; the double entendre was very familiar. 

 

“If your majesties would like to join me” Tirius’ appearance made the queen’s jump apart, not expecting the interruption, which only made the seasoned captain smile wider.

 

“Yes of course, please your grace” Yara attempted to cover her blunder, and the fact that she was staring daggers to a smiling Tirius, by offering Daenerys take the lead “scare me like that again, and I will have your head”

 

Tirius laughed at the statement, slamming his hand affably on her shoulder “If ever I see you afraid of your own shadow because of me, I will die a happy man Yara” 

 

The large ship was not much different from the original drawing Yara had presented the queen, or any of the other ships in the ironborn fleet. It was simple in its decoration, the only difference between it and any of the other ships was the larger weaponry and higher number of oars, and the dragon carved into the helm. A small walk around the ship’s decks led them to the captain’s quarters. Similar to Yara’s chambers, all the furniture that was not built into the walls was screwed down. The room had a large wooden table that had a westerosi map carved into it, covered with a crystal cover to prevent damage, with a dozen chairs surrounding it. It was a perfect place to lead their attack on the seven kingdoms. 

 

As Tirius showed off much of the smaller details in the room, Dany’s eyes drifted towards the large featherbed. The sheets were black and the large blanket on top had the Targaryen sigil embroidered in, and despite the lack of similarities it was enough to make the queen blush. The two ironborn touring the room realized the queen was distracted, both of their heads turning towards her source of distraction and both getting a different reaction. Tirius smiled devilishly and turned towards Yara, who was split between standing tall with pride at Daenerys’ blush and shrinking into herself at Tirius’ stare. 

 

“I believe we’ve seen all there is to be seen, wouldn’t you agree your grace?” Tirius turned his stare over to the queen, who was mortified and trying not to show it “if you would accompany me to the deck, we can see her first sail” Tirius retreated out of the room with the excuse of checking on the last details of the  _ Iron Dragon’s  _ first sail.

 

Yara took a short step towards the blushing queen, her hands resting on the Targaryen’s upper arms “all in order Dany?”

 

“Yes, I was just…” her purple gaze shifted from the grey Greyjoy eye to the bedding in front of them, the blush not letting up a bit.

 

“All in due time your grace, all in due time” Yara leaned down, dropping a soft kiss on the younger woman, and proceeded to lead her out of the cabin and to the helm where Victarion, Theon and Tirius were waiting for them. “When you are ready,” the three ironborn looked at each other with humor, but not wanting to piss off the rather content queen gave the signal for the flooding of the dry dock. 

 

The two sides keeping the water at bay were raised slowly, salt water pouring quickly. The ship rose slowly and rocked back and forth only being held by the ropes tying her down. Daenerys, who was the least used to the ocean, always having sailed in calmer waters, began to lose her footing as the water rushed in. Yara, who was amused and enjoying the queen’s discomfort, took pity on her situation and gently tugged her towards the handrail, her arms supported at her sides to keep the queen from slipping along. 

 

Once the dry dock was full of water the men on the dock began pushing her off outside, the few crewmen on board rowing once she was free to allow the Greyjoys to tie her down properly. Daenerys turned on her heels to look at the smiling Yara Greyjoy with the cheering of the ironborn at her ears. 

 

“your fleet will be as grand as your ship Daenerys, I promise” violet eyes met storm grey, charged full of a promise that wouldn't waiver “what?”

 

“Nothing” Dany smiled, her fingers tracing the linen piece covering Yara’s injured eye “just that this is not something fit for a queen” Yara laughed heartily at the Targaryen queen while her men made the final preparations to put  _ Iron Dragon  _ up to the test.

 

-oOoOo-

 

Their day had been quite eventful, and most had been spent at sea testing the  _ Iron Dragon’s  _ speed and power against Yara’s  _ Black Wind _ and Victarion’s  _ Iron Victory _ with Theon on board the  _ Sea Bitch _ leading the way. 

 

For the most part Dany had felt like a fish out of water as Tirius led the men who were the crew of  _ Iron Dragon.  _ If she wanted to lead the ironborn she had much to learn, and not a lot of time to do it. After taking a very quick crash course from Tirius she had tried her best to direct the ship around as the men tried out the newer mechanisms for the siege weapons. With the Pyke Castellan rather content at her progress they turned back to the docks,  _ Iron Dragon  _ leading the charge this time.

 

The thoughts of the day however eluded Dany as her panting breath set the mood of the room. Yara picked up the sheets as she went before taking Dany into her arms, the queen leaning back against her chest, twirling her dark brown locks in her fingers while she steadied herself. 

 

“A dragon for your thoughts?” Yara herself was no better,her hands playing against the soft skin of her queen.

 

“I think you're going to have to teach me how to sail” Yara had a hard time telling herself she didn't think about it, but the reports coming back from Tirius that Daenerys had been very curious about her new ship made the request unsurprising.

 

“Sailing and combat, who will care for your city?”

 

“I've very competent  _ small _ council councilors that have a prowess for caring for grand old cities” the emphasis in small emphasized who she had in mind to care for Meereen while the queen prepared for the long journey ahead, and to be perfectly honest with herself, Yara couldn’t fault her “I also have something for you”

 

Yara groaned at the loss of warmth when Daenerys stood. The irony that she did nothing but complain about the heat and now longed for it was not lost on the ironborn queen. Daenerys began shuffling around the room for the cloak she had brought along, her smile widening every time she turned and saw Yara stare at her, wine in hand, with desire burning in the typically mischievous and calculating Greyjoy gaze. 

 

All the powers of concentration of the beautiful queen were into finding the object she wanted to gift Yara. Dragging her cloak with her back to the bed she removed a small brown pouch that the hand not holding a goblet received tentatively.

 

“And this is?”

 

“Something fit for a queen” Dany took the goblet from Yara and drank a small sip as she watched the queen open her small gift. 

 

The object in her hand was no larger than her thumb from tip to base. The fabric was completely black, but that is not what interested the queen, it was what had been so carefully stitched into it that mattered. The crowned dragon of Targaryen etched in scarlet red was surprising, it was its partner that truly surprised. The dragon sigil had been cut in half vertically, what would usually complete the circle was replaced with the right half of the crowned golden kraken of Greyjoy. 

 

In the seven kingdoms it was a statement to allow someone not belonging to your house to wear your sigil. To break ones sigil in half was reserved for a few partnerships, that both the dragon and kraken were crowned gave out its own signal. Yara’s fingers were tracing the area where the dragon and kraken met, not making a sound, which unintentionally drove Daenerys’ anxiety through the roof.

 

“I wasn't sure if I had it right. We did not know where to cut the Kraken—”

 

What was left of the statement was lost as Yara pounced on the unsuspecting queen. The goblet was clumsily placed on the ground as Daenerys became pinned underneath the strong ironborn.

 

“Thank you” Yara drew the queen into her arms, but Daenerys was having none of that. 

 

Her legs pinned Yara down into the bed, her hands coming to rest on the Targaryen’s waist as Dany slowly unwrapped the linen covering her injury. Yara attempted to stop her, but she knew it was a lost battle.

 

The linen fell slowly, like a curtain being raised on an expecting audience. Most of the initial gore had been cleared out, all that was left was reddened skin held together by stitching and a slash that had split Yara’s eyebrow in half and led to the outside of her eye. 

 

Dany more than anyone admired the injuries of a warrior. Having been married to one of the most fearless khals she had seen her fair share of horrible scars. But to her they were a badge of honor, one that she refused to let Yara feel self conscious about, even if the Queen wouldn't tell her it did. Her hands reached up to tie the newly acquired accessory, giving Yara quite a show of what was becoming her favorite sight, Daenerys’ bare chest at close proximity. 

 

Dany leaned back down proud of her work and the sigils in front of her “there. Quite fit for a pirate queen” Yara laughed before leaning up to capture the queen’s lips, determined to show her gratitude not just for the present, but for her calmer reaction to the injury she had mixed feelings about “hmm, I've heard of these fearsome warriors that are bred in the hard and unforgiving iron islands”

 

“Have you now” Yara leaned up, making sure to leave not a patch of skin untouched as she went, relishing in the soft moans of approval escaping her bed mate “have you heard of what these warriors do to women they capture?”

 

Dany tilted her head sideways as Yara’s lips made their way north, trickling the sensitive nerves that only Yara seemed to know how to find “No, but I would be open to you teaching me”

 

“We don't teach salt wives in the iron islands” with little warning Yara flipped their positions, hovering menacingly over the excited queen “you're just along for the ride. And you, Daenerys stormborn of House Targaryen, are quite the catch” 

 

Whatever sassy response Daenerys had conjured up was lost as her mind blanked out. The woman between her legs would be the death of her, but by the gods she would be the death of her if she stopped what she was doing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this one was way slower, but I felt like Daenerys and Yara needed some alone and fluff time ya feel? As always, thank you so much for reading and I will see y'all next week!.


	11. The Great Kraken

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the awesome DMs and the Tumblr messages! I know it took a while to upload this, but honestly editing this hurt my brain. But here we are! 
> 
> The bad news? This is pretty much all world building and exposition. It would pay if you have a Westeros map handy, I did try to write this keeping the actual locations in mind.
> 
> The good news? Editing the next chapter should be so much easier, and it's less exposition-y So wooohooo!

**The Great Kraken**

 

Tyrion Lannister learned many lessons in his life as part of such a controversial family. Many times, he knew that the respect being shown to him was due to his family name and the golden lion prancing on his breast.

 

This was one of the few times when the quiet respect is what he hoped to see. Opposite to his seat was the oldest Sand Snake, who had made her displeasure at his presence clear the moment she stepped off  _ Sun Spear _ . Even the Unsullied standing at the doors of the spacious cabin gave him chills.

 

Obara had purposely kept her gaze trained on the little lion sitting across from her. She enjoyed making the little man squirm when he thought no one was looking, and considering how they had been waiting to start their meeting, it was incredible how long she could be intimidating for. It was, however, very clear that she was the only one enjoying the wait. 

 

Her sister Nymeria, usually the calm one, shuffled her feet in exasperation once more “Where is queen Daenerys?” 

 

Tyrion, Victarion, Theon and Daario all turned their heads towards Varys, assuming that if anyone would know about anyone it would be him.

 

“Well, we are still moving, I would hazard a guess that the queen is still occupied with Queen Yara” Tyrion smiled to himself at the truth behind the words.

 

It had taken him quite a while to settle his stomach in the rocking cabin, but word has it that Daenerys was as taken with the sea as she was taken with its queen. After she had handed the rule of the city to focus on her preparations to lead her army, little was seen of Daenerys in the pyramid, save for the odd time when Drogon would drop her to her quarters, and even that was an odd occurrence, since she was making  _ Iron Dragon _ her home. 

 

The ironborn ideas that the people follow the strong that lead, had truly stuck with Daenerys. She knew that the ironborn followed Yara because she was their leader, and so would her people. She would never be a great warrior but she would make sure her people saw her leading them, as conquering kings had always done.

 

“Apologies for our lateness my lords and ladies, it seems today’s lesson ran longer than we expected” Daenerys barging in through the door, dressed in a simple white shirt, brown trousers and black leather boots with a jeweled short sword strapped to her hip, cut an interesting figure. She was not the queen by name she had been before, nor was she the dashing figure of a conqueror, but she was not a delicate princess anymore.

 

“A queen is never late your grace, we are simply early” Varys remarked while taking his seat at Tyrion’s side. Dany smiled and took her seat at the head of the large table, Yara and Theon walking in behind her quietly and taking their seats, Yara at her immediate right and Theon next to his sister. 

 

“I believe there are battle plans we need to discuss?”

 

Across the map certain figures had been put down to represent troop movements. The Lannister lion dominated the West and the crownlands, partnered with the few stags that belonged to Storm’s End. A single Tully fish held at Riverrun, surrounded by Lannister lions and Frey towers. The South was littered with Tyrell Roses and Dornish Snakes, giving Daenerys a sense of security at the strength of their forces, until she looked higher. The threat looming from the North was gut wrenching, the Stark wolf coupled with the Arryn Falcon far outnumbered many of the other forces, it certainly matched the forces immediately available to her on landing.

 

“It is overwhelming, but if word from Westeros is true, King Snow and Lady Stark have no desire to claim the Iron Throne or leave the North. They have just taken back Winterfell, they will not leave on a foolish crusade, not without reason” Dany nodded towards Tyrion as he spoke “They would make good allies for you”

 

“The northerners would not move anywhere past the neck for anyone or anything, unless their home or their people are threatened” Yara stood and began pacing around the table, keeping her eyes on the map of Westeros “King Robb moved South because his father was killed and his sisters were prisoners of so-called King Joffrey” Tyrion had the decency to blush at the doings of his idiotic nephew “Jon Snow is not Robb Stark, or at least Sansa Stark will make sure he stays the course, and with all the Starks gone, he will want to keep his sister close and remain in Winterfell. He will not help you unless you’ve got something he wants” Nymeria stared at the vivacious queen as she picked up the crowned Kraken and the crowned dragon from in front of her sister, twirling them in her hands as she resumed her pacing “unless you want to kidnap Sansa out of Winterfell and hold her hostage, risking another Northern rebellion, I see no reason to thread with them” her statement was punctuated by the dragon and the Kraken being placed softly in front of Daenerys.

 

“We do not need the North to take Westeros” 

 

“But we need the north to unite the seven kingdoms” Dany’s statement was ripped of its seriousness by the small laugh that escaped Tyene. Nymeria turned to look at her sister over Obara’s shoulder, letting her know how much trouble she was in. The small girl was more focused on Daenerys’ purple eyes and raised eyebrow pinning her to her seat “Have I said something that you find amusing?”

 

“I… I” Tyene’s eyes widened, forcing her to take a second to steady herself before answering the queen “Dorne was never conquered, there were still seven kingdoms”

 

“We cannot allow Jon Snow to remain King of the North, everyone may as well have their own king, and the Targaryen rule will not matter anymore, or the iron throne” Tyrion crossed his fingers with his hands on the table staring at the youngest Sand “We cannot have a prince or princess of Dorne and a prince or princess of Winterfell ruling alongside the queen of Westeros. When her largest kingdoms are all but independent, Westeros is not united”

 

“So what do you propose?”

 

Tyrion looked at his hands, and inadvertently at the lion sitting on King’s Landing, and smiled “Lady Sansa and I have a cordial relationship. I would not call it friendship, but we have shared history over our time together in the Red Keep, and our short stint as husband and wife, she will grant me an audience”

 

This time the laughter coming from the Sand corner could not be mistaken for anything but what it was. Tyrion knew that they were not thrilled at him being part of the new queen’s counsel, but this was a step too far.

 

“We are sorry your grace” Nymeria was the first to gain back her senses “but the little lion claiming the Stark girl, who was imprisoned and mistreated by his psychotic nephew and his sister, would grant him an audience is hysterical”

 

“I protected Sansa while I could”

 

“That will not mean anything to King Snow” Obara twirled her dagger in her hand while she spoke “you are a Lannister, and the Starks hate your family, possibly more than we do, and that is truly saying something”. 

 

“Hey now, wait a minute--”

 

While the bickering between Tyrion and the Sands continued, Dany turned to look at Yara, whose head was inclined to hear Theon’s whispers. The ironborn queen was nodding while her other ear picked up whatever information she could grab from the heated conversation. 

 

“I have a better option” the eyes of the table turned towards the Greyjoy siblings, who were both keeping their eyes on the map carved on the table “Theon and Sansa grew up together in Winterfell. Theon fought with her brother, King Robb, against the crown’s forces when Eddard Stark was executed…”

 

“And stabbed him in the back when he needed him most” Obara pointed out with a smirk

 

“And made an error in judgement. One he paid for dearly” Yara made sure to stare deeply into Obara’s eyes as she said it, the steel in her retort unmistakeable “He helped Sansa Stark escape the clutches of Bolton’s bastard, saw that she would be in safe hands before looking for me, and is arguably responsible for Winterfell being back in Stark hands. If there is someone who Sansa will listen to, it’s him” Theon’s twitching hands reached out to trace the jagged map while his sister spoke, stretching out for the wooden wolf of Winterfell. 

 

“Theon…”

 

“Sansa is my sister as much as Yara is” his voice was low enough to strain everyone else in the room, but it got his emotions across “I was forced to give her hand in marriage to a monster, and watch him attempt to break her like he did me. I made many mistakes, I betrayed my family…” his gaze turned towards Victarion, who nodded, letting him know he was not offended by his referring of the Starks as family, Yara’s hand on his shoulder let him know she too did not hold anything against him “But if anyone in this room has any chance of speaking to the Starks, it’s me. Sansa would have spoken to Jon about his brothers that I forced out of Winterfell, and Robb who I betrayed, but Sansa will listen, and Jon will heed Sansa’s council”

 

“So what do you propose Prince Theon”

 

His tired eyes raised from the table to look at the queen “Let me speak to Sansa. I’ll make sure they understand what we offer them. ”

 

“What do we offer them young prince?” Tyrion turned to look at Varys quizzically, he knew that the master of whispers would never ask a question he didn’t know the answer to.

 

“Uh, well” Theon side-eyed Yara, waiting for her approval. It’s not like they hadn’t planned for this question, or figured that it was coming. “We offer them what the King in the North is rallying his troops for, and what Ned Stark wanted in his life. We offer them peace and prosperity for the people of the North, support for the Night’s watch, and the promise that the crown will rally behind their northern allies when the Long Night is upon us all”

 

It seemed as if the room was hanging on a thread. What they would do depended on Daenerys’ reaction to the outlandish claim that something like the Long Night was actually real. Yara put her elbows on the table and crossed her fingers in front of her to indicate she was reserving any of her opinions on the fairy tales of the Northerners. They needed this alliance if bloodshed was to be avoided. 

 

“Do you mean if the White Walkers ever climb out of the page and attack the Seven Kingdoms?” Daenerys’ scepticism was understandable, knowing that a longer explanation would be needed later he simply nodded “Theon, you will go ahead and speak to the Starks on my behalf. Plead what you must within reason”

 

Yara released the breath she didn’t know she had been holding. She was not one to claim a disadvantage existed, ever, but the truth was if the North did not join them the fight against the Lannisters and the few who still held their loyalty to the crown would be evenly matched, even with three large dragons and a queen of legend. By her side Theon nodded his acceptance and straightened his back, he had last seen Jon when he had left Winterfell to go to the wall, but that was a long time ago. They were different men, with far worse deeds under their belts than playing pranks on the servants, or each other for that matter. Theon certainly didn’t know if he would come out of this ordeal standing.

 

“With that out of the way” Obara stood and placed the multitude of dragons and krakens in her hands on the map, just off the shore of Westeros, with a single Dornish snake in their midst “We’ve enough ships to carry your army across the narrow sea, now we need to decide how to split our forces on the ground” Yara sighed and placed the Kraken in her hand next to the Lannister lion at King’s landing, knowing Euron would have sailed his way to Cersei Lannister after his short stay in Meereen. Dany’s hand discreetly reached out to rest on Yara’s knee, knowing how much Euron Greyjoy being alive still affected her.

 

“If we concentrate our landing forces on King’s Landing we risk the Tyrell forces being overwhelmed by Casterly Rock” Obara’s hands moved about the map, shifting the pieces along as she talked “We will also be weary from travel if we hit them directly”

 

“Do you propose we land in Dorne?”

 

“I see no better plan”

 

Yara stood up to look at the map as a whole from Obara’s point of view, looking for a better answer “Who is the lord of Dragonstone?”

 

“Stannis… Baratheon” Tyrion nodded to the clever Greyjoy as he answered “Dragonstone should have nothing more than a skeleton crew to hold it, if any, it should make a fitting landing party for the descendant of Aegon the Conqueror” Dany smiled and cautiously moved to stand next to Yara, trying to see as she did.

 

“Part of our forces should still head to Dorne, the bulk of the forces should land on Dragonstone” Dany looked at Yara discreetly, and smiled when she nodded along “The Dornish and Tyrell forces should concentrate on keeping the Lannisters at bay while we take King’s Landing”

 

“A strong and bitter Lannister army is something that needs to be extinguished, not contained” Yara placed the pieces on the map as Daenerys had indicated, her arms spread apart on the table, thinking of the possibilities “With Dorne well reinforced and the Tyrell’s cutting their support from King’s Landing taking them down should not be a problem. The Lannisters reinforcing the city. That is a problem” Yara’s hands picked up a few dragons, a snake and a kraken from the bulk of their forces and placed them on the far end of the map, next to Casterly Rock “With their eyes trained on three dragons and thousands of soldiers making landfall a spit away from King’s Landing, they will direct the bulk of their manpower to face us, leaving Casterly Rock exposed. With nowhere to run and surrounded on three sides, the Lannisters will either capitulate or see their once proud house decimated. The Sands, the Lord Captain of the Iron Fleet and the Second Sons with a few Dothraki screamers should do quite nicely to take and hold the lands in the West and hold the rock”

 

“What about the Lannisters that hold Riverrun, they are also a spit away from King’s Landing?” Nymeria used the butt of her dagger to point at the Frey towers and the single Tully fish on the trident “if the Freys remain in control of the Twins, no amount of support from the North will help us. They won’t be able to cross the Trident in time”

 

“Where can we spare forces to deal with the River lands?”

 

“It is not wise to spread yourself too thin my queen” Daario startled Daenerys with his appearance by her side. His hand brushed past the small of her back, causing Yara to direct her hand to the pommel of her sword threateningly “If the Lord Captain and the Dothraki can take care of the Rock, a garrison of the second sons and the Sands can easily overtake the lax and inexperienced forces in the Twins. If all goes well in the North they will easily take the Northern end of the bridge and their forces will cross down to King’s Landing in time for your coronation”

 

“It is not my coronation that worries me Daario”

 

“If the Freys only had one castle that would be fairly simple. But Riverrun is now theirs” Yara reached out to take out the Tully fish and placed a Frey Tower in its place “Without the Vale we will never take them both at once. If we don’t take them both at once they will be forewarned and our hold on anything South of the neck and North of the crownlands will be compromised”

 

“Storm’s end has not pledged for anyone. With the Baratheons gone it will become a power vacuum, one that we need to exploit if this invasion is to succeed”

 

“Theon will need to leave as soon as time permits, Littlefinger will be in Winterfell with the Starks, he is the key to the Vale” Tyrion drummed his fingers on the table while he thought about the very real situation sneaking up on them “We need to make sure he knows his hold on the Vale is secure, and it will be his only option, closing any possibility to the throne”

 

“We will discuss that later” Dany had been approached by Tyrion about the same topic many times, it was not the room to breach that topic “We will need that meeting before we know anything about our plans. If the northerners pledge for us, the iron islands should be secured before we move, to assure the Western side of the Seven kingdoms are not compromised at any point” Theon nodded to the Queen, understanding that he would be at the head of the Northern army with Jon if and when they headed south “Until we have more information this is all we can do, thank you for your time and your counsel” Dany disentangled herself from the vice grip that Daario had her in,  _ exile did little to his ego _ “Queen Yara, Lord Tyrion, walk with me”

 

Obara snorted and walked out of the cabin looking for fresh air, and away from the sour face of Daario, who had been thwarted once more, her sisters right behind her. Leaving only the second sons commander, the Greyjoy prince and Lord Captain and Varys, who was staring at the map table intently. 

 

“I apologize for the slip up your grace, it seemed the only way to get Daario off you” Dany nodded while they climbed the steps towards the helm, Yara barking orders to the ironborn crew as they went “We do however have to talk about it”

 

“I will not marry a Lord who stood by idly while my family was butchered” Daenerys crossed her arms while she stared at the man “my days of marrying are over Tyrion”

 

“Marriages are the oldest tradition in the seven kingdoms. They’re how unions are cemented” Tyrion knew he was treading in dangerous territory by speaking to the queen in such a way, but the need for her to accept this fact was necessary if her hold on the Iron Throne was going to hold.

 

“Unions by marriage are quite fickle by nature Lannister” Yara’s boots creaked against the wood of the  _ Iron Dragon _ as she paced about “Queen Daenerys has no need to marry, she can very well forge the Seven Kingdoms together by fire, if she has to”

 

“Last Targaryen who threatened to use fire to hold a kingdom together was stabbed in the back by his own Kingsguard” Tyrion turned to look at the ironborn queen, who he believed would help him. Apparently he was wrong. “The Targaryen name doesn’t need to be associated with another burning massacre”

 

“The Targaryen name doesn’t need to be sullied with lords and ladies who are not worthy of their name” Dany needed Tyrion to understand her position as much as he needed her to understand his “I’ve married and buried one husband, I do not need another”

 

“How about a proposition you will not be able to refuse?” Dany tilted her head while looking at Tyrion, who smiled to himself at the obvious answer staring him in the face, or rather giving his back to him.

 

-oOoOo-

 

Theon was going through the paces of marking down the inventory for travel. In reality he was trying to keep his worried mind as busy as he could to avoid thinking about the journey ahead of him. Going back to Winterfell wasn’t just going back to Sansa and Jon, it was going back to a home stained by the memory of Ramsay, and his betrayal. 

 

That is where Victarion found him, sitting on a crate of food murmuring to himself about needing a crate of food, staring absentmindedly at his boots. Not even the heavy steps that always signaled his approach managed to distract him from his stupor.

 

“Theon” the grey eyes that looked at him were heavy with burdens. He knew those eyes, the eyes of a man that carried more regrets than he gave away “You know the crate of food you need is what you are sitting on, correct?”

 

“I realized about 100 reminders ago” his fingers tumbled with the gloves in his hand, the special gloves that were used to disguise the fact that he did not have 10 fingers to fit the 10 digits “Am I leaving now?”

 

“No, queen Daenerys is still meeting with Lannister and Yara” the rather large man reclined against the crate next to his nephew, taking care to ignore the twitching and shaking “There is something I wanted to discuss with you”

 

“I’ve all the time in the world uncle” Theon nearly smiled at his own joke, except his breakfast threatened to climb back up his throat as soon as he thought about it. 

 

“You've got a long way to go and a good impression to make. Yara and I outfitted something for you” Victarion turned on his heel, leaving Tyrion with no other option but to follow. Merchant ships, fish crates and ironborn aplenty were on their way to the mysterious destination, or as mysterious as could be before the realization of where they were going truly hit Theon.

 

Despite the space constraints they had been facing since the ships began leaving the dry docks and heading to water, the flagships still held a dock of their own.  _ Iron Victory  _ and  _ Black Wind _ were both receiving a new coat of paint and a new set of sails in preparation for the long sail ahead, but that is not where they were headed. Since he had been too young to take a ship of his own, Theon had always shared his naval experience in small ships, and had been kept away by threat of death from his father’s ship. Realizing that Victarion was directing him on to  _ Great Kraken _ , Balon Greyjoy’s flagship, slowed him down. 

 

“Uncle, I--”

 

“You’ve nothing to say to us about this decision except for  _ What is dead may never die _ ” Victarion turned waited to watch his nephew climb on board the large and terrifying ship “Try not to break her”

 

The area surrounding  _ Great Kraken _ almost seemed solemn as Theon stood alone on her deck. Balon Greyjoy had lost all faith in his last living heir, the fact that his brother and his daughter saw the same man as fit enough to sail her spoke volumes of their belief in him. What was facing Winterfell against the prospect of his father’s watery ghost coming back to rip him from  _ Great Kraken _ in the middle of the Narrow Sea?

 

-oOoOo-

 

“For a man who honors tradition so strongly, you seem very keep on destroying it Lannister” Yara had regained her footing after letting the helm slipped from her hand. She was still not sure she had heard correctly.

 

“I am not accepting any offers from Westeros, what makes you believe they will accept this?”

 

“You will be their Queen. And, after all that has come from your family is this truly that outlandish?”

 

“The people of King’s Landing locked a man in a dungeon for doing what you propose, we want to rally the commoners around Daenerys, not against her” Yara would not drop her hold on the helm to keep from threatening the small man with her sword.

 

“The people who did that have been burnt to the ground, my sister saw to that” Tyrion kept pressing his advantage, knowing fully well that if he could answer every one of Yara’s questions they would end up agreeing to this “men up and down the seven kingdoms will trip over themselves to marry you in order to sit that throne, if you are married under the eyes of gods and men there is little they can do”

 

“The same men who will be so desperate to marry Daenerys will care little for a woman at her side” Yara’s snark was back with full force. It was not because she did not want to go through with it, but because the possibility of the seven kingdoms letting this happen was next to none.

 

“If the woman at her side is also a Queen by her own right, and has the forces to back her up if they dare rebel against their union, I see those objections severely reduced”

 

Yara sighed and turned to look at the other queen in question. The idea of looking upon Daenerys and seeing revulsion instead of fear for the idea scared her--maybe more than dying. Her purple eyes were full of doubt and fear, a fear awful similar to Yara’s, that she would revolt at it. 

 

“It is the only way we can assure Littlefinger knows his ambition for the iron throne is gone. He doesn’t have the physical skill to take you on, his short battle with Brandon Stark proved that, and he doesn’t have the men loyal to him to take on the Iron Fleet” Tyrion understood how radical his idea was, but the more he spoke about it the more he liked it.

 

“I cannot be a queen by my own right if I do not govern my people. If I leave Theon to overlook the Salt Throne he may as well be King of it” Yara knew she was putting up all the issues the people of Westeros, and more importantly her people, would put against this union.

 

“You do not have to live in King’s Landing to be the queen’s consort”the title coming up again did something to Yara, making her tilt further away from Daenerys to not see her reaction to it “You can live in the Iron Islands and sit the Salt throne, only making an appearance at King’s Landing if and when the situation requires it, same thing would go to Queen Daenerys. The royal spouse doesn’t need to be present for the union to be legitimate every single day” Tyrion knew his queen was sold on the idea, only Yara needed convincing, and he knew that was a job the Targaryen queen was far more fit for “I will leave the idea to you, but I recommend you come to a decision before Theon sails for Winterfell”

 

Daenerys sighed as the Lannister man walked out of  _ Iron Dragon _ . She always had a reason to avoid the marriage topic. It was obvious that this idea had been in his head for a long time, and he had sprung the trap at the right time.

 

“Yara--”

 

“Dany--”

 

The queens smiled at each other sheepishly. Daenerys signaled for Yara to go ahead. 

 

“Dany. I do not want your rule to be threatened by me. We are not helping you take what is yours only to lose it because of me” Yara’s hands reached out to rest on Dany’s arms, her gaze soft. Trying to make sure Dany understood she was not putting up a fight because of her. More politically important things were at play here, not just their feelings. 

 

“My rule will be cemented because of you. Without the Iron Fleet I would not be sailing towards Westeros. This union is going to affirm that” Dany dropped her arms to allow Yara’s hands to meet with her own “if it keeps Littlefinger at bay, I will be in your debt. If half of the stories about this man are true he will sell me his own mother to sit on the throne”

 

“He would sell you his whole family if it meant sitting on the throne” Yara sighed deeply, making circles on Dany’s hands with the pad of her thumbs “This is not about you, or me. It has taken many men and it will take many more to sit you on the throne. If our…” she gulped, as if the mere thought of saying the word meant her immediate agreement “marriage means that rule will not hold, I will not be able to live with myself”

 

“I imagine the threat of fire will keep them all in line. Running out of Westeros will only be possible if you and I allow it” Dany’s hand raised to rest on Yara’s cheek as softly as possible “I much rather the people unite under rulers who are benevolent and happy, than a ruler forced into a marriage she did not want, with a man placed there for convenience”

 

“We would not be living under the same roof” Dany knew this was a battle all but won, because the argument she was putting up was the most fickle of them. Yara’s forehead leaned against Daenerys’, her breathing rapid against her skin.

 

“Technicalities” Dany tilted her head upwards, their lips meeting in the softest of kisses they had had to date.

 

“In that case, Daenerys Stormborn of House Targaryen, will you honor my house and my people, and be my Queen and wife under the eyes of gods and men?” 

 

“With such a charming proposition, how could one say no” Yara deepened the kiss, and pushed the girl against the wooden railing. Unknown to them an imp and a eunuch were looking at the scene, a bag of gold passing between them as they headed towards  _ The Great Kraken _ to wish Theon good fortunes and pass on the new development that had to be taken to Winterfell.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright Y'all, I hope you liked the twist. Lemme know all your funky thoughts and pterodactyl screeches!
> 
> Tumblr: TheIronDragonRants


	12. A Weirwood and a Sunset

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been waiting for almost a year (mainly due to my self-imposed hiatuses [hiati? *shrugs*]) to get to this chapter, because it's the one and only time I'll attempt to write smut (spoiler alert: I whimped out and skipped ahead, but it's progress!)

**A Weirwood and A Sunset**

Yara and Theon stood at bow of  _ Great Kraken _ watching the men load her with supplies for their journey, attempting to keep their minds on anything and everything to avoid the lingering talk.

 

“So…”

 

“Theon, you are my brother and I love you. But if you say a  _ word _ , I can and will kill you” Yara nodded towards one of the men walking past her carrying winter cloaks, not needing to look at his brother to know he had an ear to ear smile on his face.

 

“It seems like you stole all of uncle Euron’s plan” his teasing was said with a small sing-song tune, pacing away from his sister to avoid any retaliation “you’re making the family proud, with such a beautiful wife-to-be”

 

Yara reached to punch her brother’s shoulder, but ultimately decided to hold back. He was right after all, she did land a wife the people of the seven kingdoms would be jealous of. 

 

“You’re sure you are clear to go back alone?” the actual reason Yara was on board _The_ _Great Kraken_ made Theon smile, she would not stop protecting him, even if she had to use the excuse of her impending nuptials to make sure he was safe “Would you feel safer if I came with you?”

 

“Your place is here, at the queen’s side” Theon smiled at his sister cheekily “it doesn’t look good, to get betrothed and then run away to the other end of the world to meet someone else” Yara shook her head, knowing this was her brother’s way of dealing with the anxiety of returning to Winterfell “I will have an easier chance of making my way to Winterfell if there are less people with me”

 

“Will you find a way to send word once you’ve arrived?” 

 

“It will take me awhile to get there, by then they will have a ravenry prepared, I can send news with a merchant if I have to” the Greyjoy siblings sighed with the weight of the true trepidation dangling between them “He is dead, Sansa and Jon are not Boltons, they will at least listen to what I have to say”

 

“It is not them that worry me” there wasn’t much love lost for the Greyjoys in the North. The possibility that Theon would be once more shipped to her in pieces gave her chills and almost drove her to beg Daenerys to send someone, anyone, even though he really was the only one who could do this properly “Safe travels Theon. I need you for this battle, so I am giving you leave to go and return as soon as your mission is done”

 

“As you wish your grace” he bowed far lower than necessary, and with a small spring in his step walked towards the cabin of the ship, leaving Yara to walk off the ship by herself. 

 

Yara’s gaze lingered on the kraken carved into the door before turning to stare at the blue expanse that her brother would face at nightfall. Much of the area surrounding Meereen had been occupied by ships and construction, taking away from Yara’s favorite sight, the sun shimmering on the nearly unbroken blue of the sea. For a woman who had been born and raised by the sea, it felt like blasphemy to cover it up with anything, and she knew her men shared the sentiment; more than once she had seen them drinking at the bows of their ships, watching the sun disappear on the horizon. It was the most sensitive thing any ironborn would be caught dead doing.

 

-oOoOo-

 

“Your majesty, you called?” Tyrion stuck his head in the cabin, followed by the ever present Greyworm. Daenerys was staring intently at the map in front of her, and would have missed their entrance if not for the squeaking of the chair next to her as Tyrion moved it back.

 

“Tyrion, yes, I have a proposition that I believe only you can help me with” Tyrion sat on his chair, waiting for the queen to inquire at her own pace. In his own mind he wondered why he, a man who could admit his military experience was basic at best, had been called to look at the map with their battle plans “What castle is here?”

 

Tyrion leaned in to get a better look at what Daenerys was pointing at. An area that connected the Crownlands, the Western Lands and the Riverlands, one that had been contested in the years after the landing of Aegon by the Wardens of the West and the lords of the riverlands.

 

“Nothing my queen, it is a field” Try as he might, he could not figure out why Dany had questions about such a random spot in all of Westeros. One that could not get them any tactical advantage, and if it could it would not be easily accessible from their ships “May I ask why the interest in the area?”

 

Dany did not pay him any mind. Her purple eyes were dragging over the area with interest, pondering the possibilities. Her hand reached out for the crowned dragon at the top of the map and placed it gingerly on the rather smooth area of the wooden carvings. Tyrion drummed his fingers, trying to find how or why that was something that would help them in the already hairy matter of conquering the Seven Kingdoms. Before he could ask, Dany reached back for another figure, this time the crowned Kraken, placing it with the dragon.

 

“If we conquer Westeros we must start anew” Dany whispered, not taking her eyes of the area “Aegon Targaryen didn’t find King’s Landing constructed when he first landed in Westeros, and I will not either. King’s Landing was for the Targaryen’s of old, I am bringing a new age for the Seven Kingdoms” 

 

“Your Grace?”

 

“The Queen’s Keep sounds much more fitting to my rule” Dany took a piece of charcoal next to her to outline the map. The area of the Stoney sept, the lower end of the riverlands and a large chunk of the crownlands were marked, with the dragon and kraken in the middle.

 

It all suddenly clicked for Tyrion, in the most unlikely of ways. The Baratheon stag tipped over when Daenerys outlined the map, as did one of the lions in the westerlands, and that was enough to understand. The area that the Targaryen Dragon and the Greyjoy Kraken now occupied, were exactly the equal distance between King’s Landing and Pyke.

 

-oOoOo-

 

“Never let it be said dwarfs are not ambitious” 

 

Varys was leaning back against the chair, his hand preoccupied with a small fan; the heat did not agree with him, and today was particularly trying. That was made worse by the ambitious Lannister passing down the queen’s plans to him, trying to sound them out with another man as smart as he.

 

“I wish it had been my idea” Tyrion offered a goblet of red wine to the man, taking a seat in front of him “Our Queen is keen on every detail being taken care of”

 

“A new castle, in the middle of disputed land, where the thrones will reside. Our Targaryen queen is remarkably clever”

 

“The thrones and the Queens” Tyrion reminded him after taking a rather large gulp from the goblet in his hands “It is nearly the perfect distance between King’s Landing and Pyke. It is also placed close enough to every kingdom, where Daenerys can oversee everything in her newly conquered lands, and have her consort at her side caring for her people”

 

“What did her  _ consort _ say about this idea?” Varys always the clever man realized the answer when Tyrion smiled rather sheepishly “Ah. I see, you are letting the news be delivered by the person she will not say no to”

 

“Like you said, our Queen is very clever”

 

Varys placed his fan on the table, staring at Tyrion has it thudded softly “Was it your idea?”

 

“You said it best, she’s the only one that--”

 

“No. The marriage, was it your idea?” the master of whispers stared at Tyrion, waiting for him to give off any cue, he was not a complicated man to read in any case “The Queen is clever, but you are a sneaky man Tyrion. I still remember Myrcella’s betrothal to the Martell boy”

 

“You give me far too much credit Varys”

 

“I don’t give you enough, Tyrion. Daenerys Targaryen would be a boon to any family that could marry into her graces. Protecting her with a marriage to another powerful Queen, one with a usurper at her door like Daenerys was, that is your style. The fact that you’re sticking it to everyone in Westeros who looked down on you without them knowing is quite the idea”

 

Tyrion Lannister was a learned man, he knew that in the eyes of many, keeping quiet was better than accepting any guilt by talking. He also knew that Varys was a smart man, dare he think as smart as he was; and he also knew that Littlefinger was not the only man who carried the thought of only a fool would trust him. Only a fool would trust a spider, and Tyrion Lannister was no fool. 

 

-oOoOo-

 

Daenerys ran her hands across the helm of  _ Iron Dragon _ with quiet admiration, though much of the admiration laid on the woman that had gifted her it, and the funny quirks she had adopted from the Queen of the ironborn.  _ Iron Dragon  _ had been parked in exactly the right place to see the sun disappear below the blue horizon, giving the mountains a distinct red orange glow that did something to Daenerys, made her admire the world and its wonders just that much more. 

 

“I see you’re taking the ironborn customs to heart my Queen” Daenerys turned slowly towards the familiar voice, a smirk on her face “the sunsets in your city are the only thing I can honestly admire”

 

“And here I was thinking it was the heat that warms you to the core that you loved” Yara laughed, enjoying Daenerys’ relaxed attitude. Not many people got to see this side of Daenerys Targaryen, that she would be able to see this everyday thanks to Tyrion’s brilliant scheme made it hard to dislike him, Lannister or otherwise “But I will admit this is something I can admire you tough armed ironborn for, your soft sensitive sides”

 

“Even warriors can admire the beauty of a sunset Daenerys” Yara’s hands locked behind her back as she paced around the deck “The sunset is only second to a different beauty, one ironborn too can admire”

 

“Yara Greyjoy you are becoming too charming for your own good” Dany shook her head, inviting her to watch the sunset “I have something to discuss with you”

 

“Last time you had a ‘thing to discuss with me’” Yara’s hands made quotes in the air, trying and failing to not come off as sarcastic “We ended up planning our wedding, I am afraid to hear your new proposition” Yara’s attempt of keeping the mood of the situation lively caused Daenerys to feel far more anxious than she had before, unsettling the ironborn “I’m just teasing you Dany, that is still one of the best decisions I have made since coming to Meereen”

 

“One of?” Dany reclined her hands on the rail behind the helm, but shook her head not waiting for an answer and needing to get the proposition off her chest “I realized that what I called a small technicality could be far more problematic”

 

“Is this about me not being able to live in King’s Landing?” the breeze gave Dany an added reason to sigh, the smell of salt and water had become something akin to a calming draught for her “Dany I…”

 

“Hear me out before you say anything” the Targaryen Queen turned towards her soon-to-be-consort, with a lot of trepidation “Yes this is about King’s Landing. What I am bringing to Westeros is not a rehash of the old Targaryen rule, it’s a rebirth. By the same logic, I believe King’s Landing carries too much of the legacy of the Targaryen’s, be it the good or bad, I bring a new age and--” the grey eye observing her softened, understanding that Daenerys was a nervous talker, and would beat around the bush but would still get to her point “--with that being said, I want to build a new palace, one in a different place with a chance to start anew”

 

Yara raised her hand to caress her upper arm softly, trying to give Dany the assurance that this would be discussed thoroughly, trying to rid her of her anxiety “What did you have in mind?”

 

“There is an area between the Western Lands, the Crownlands and the Riverlands that has been disputed since the time of Aegon, and is therefore free of any castles” Dany’s anxiety had receded much with Yara’s calming movements, knowing that after the initial pitch this part would be the easiest and possibly the one she would accept much faster “It is the closest I could find to the equal distance between King’s Landing, the city I will be tied to until all commerce can be transferred, and Pyke”

 

The soothing movement stopped at the mention of Pyke; what to Daenerys might have been interpreted as a bad sign was actually the best sign of all. Yara’s movements stopped as the thoughts in her mind began racing, her problem was how to react in a way Daenerys would understand how incredibly touched she was by her actions. It was no secret she was not the best person at expressing her feelings, her harsh upbringing was responsible for that, and at the moment she believed that Daenerys’ thoughtful actions deserved an appropriate response.

 

“Yara… This is still not set in stone we can--” Yara smashed her lips into Daenerys’ to stop her from working herself into a state. It almost seemed like the only way she could let Daenerys know she was thankful for her was physically, but it was the most effective way to communicate it “I don’t know how I’m supposed to take that” Daenerys’ arms were resting on the nape of Yara’s neck, her breathing nearly too slow, breathing Yara could feel on her face, her cheeks tainted with what was becoming Yara’s favorite shade of red, the heat radiating off the taken Queen through every part of their body that was touching.

 

“Take that as the fact that I am absolutely open to looking at your plans your grace” Yara leaned back to gingerly place a kiss on the smaller girl’s forehead, her right hand reaching up to tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear “There are many things we can work out, but this is definitely more appealing than the idea of being separated from you until an official function brings us together”

 

“My earlier sentiment is still accurate. Yara Greyjoy you are becoming too charming for your own good”

 

Yara laughed, and shifted her feet to shift Daenerys between herself and the railing, allowing the Queen to watch the sunset as she spoke.

 

“The people of the Iron Islands would still find it hard to respect my reign, it would be the equivalent of a mainlander sitting the salt throne, that does not change because I am the one sitting it” Yara’s arms encircled the small blonde, which allowed her to feel her tensing up “I understand if the war leaves a penalty for the Lannisters, if a piece of their land, no matter how small, could be given to the ironborn the situation might be different”

 

To an outsider it could look like Yara was using her new status as a way to get land for the ironborn, but Daenerys knew better. This was Yara’s way of appeasing her people, letting them see their alliance with the crown could be beneficial for everyone, and taking away the stigma her people held against mainlanders.

 

“How does the Crag sound to you?” Daenerys sighed contently at the feeling of Yara’s lips on the back of her ear, sending shocks through her body “I have it on good word that Lord Edmure Tully is the last surviving member of the ruling house of the Riverlands. If I offer him the land of Duskendale after the war I see no reason why the trade can’t be made”

 

“Have you thought of everything?” The amused tone in Yara’s voice did not reduce her feelings of admiration “I think Edmure Tully will be happy to be alive when the war ends, I am sure he will take whatever deal you offer him in exchange for going back home and enjoying some quiet years”

 

“Tyrion also proposed the Iron Throne and the Salt Throne be transferred to the Queen’s Keep when the building concludes” the rumbling of Yara’s laughter made her try to turn, only being stopped by Yara’s hands.

 

“Give the Ironborn land, move the salt and iron thrones, create a betrothal between two Queens, you and Tyrion seem extremely keen on breaking every rule in the book” the humor was intended to soften the blow that would follow “I don’t think that is a good idea. Some traditions are better left untouched. We are pushing for enough with our marriage and a new capital city, leave the thrones where they are, to be used for official ceremonies”

 

“That’s what I thought. Eventually the new city will be central enough to move the throne from the Red Keep” 

 

“Beautiful and smart. Now you see why I have become far too charming for my own good? It takes more than wit and strength to keep up with you, Daenerys Targaryen” 

 

The colors of the sunset played with the silver in Daenerys’ hair, and Yara Greyjoy realized she had a new favorite thing to admire. Sunsets were beautiful in their own right, but her wife-to-be, encased in a bath of dying sunlight was a sight to behold, a sight that if she had anything to do with would be only for her. In the same way Tyrion’s realization had struck earlier, Yara’s had too, unexpectedly but no less welcomed. 

 

“Dany, how do you feel about being wed under the old gods?”

 

Daenerys had never truly been a religious person. Viserys had never encouraged any worship unless it involved worshipping him, and because they had spent most of their time running away from the Baratheon’s knives, there could never really be a religion to stick with them. Unless one of the gods was patron of runners.

 

“I thought the people of the Iron Islands worshipped the drowned god?”

 

“We do. But the drowned god is a god for warriors, and hell for nuptials” the more she thought about it, the better the idea seemed “All we would need is a weirwood...and a sunset” 

 

“Yara Greyjoy, a romantic at heart” Dany’s giggling did something to Yara, to the hardened heart of iron that had seemed unconquerable to so many back home, and even to herself.

 

“The others take you if anyone finds out” Yara ducked her head to graze her lips with Daenerys’ “Is that a yes?”

 

“I’d marry you under any god Yara, but the offer sounds tempting, and quite the test for our advisors who seem to think not a thing in this world is impossible.”

 

-oOoOo-

 

Victarion, like his niece and nephew, detested the feeling of heat and the horrid humidity in Meereen. The possibility of getting away from it had pushed him to get the construction of the ships underway as much as humanly possible, the idea of their departure being delayed by anything infuriated him, until he learnt why.

 

Tyrion and Varys had put their heads and contacts together, and scoured the eastern markets for anyone with any even the smallest interest in Weirwoods. With their scarcity it had come at a great price, but it had not been impossible to find. The fact that Yara Greyjoy had sent Tirius on board  _ Black Wind _ to bring it back really highlighted the urgency. 

 

Meereen’s gardens had seemed like the perfect place to put it, until Tyrion had reminded the eager Queens that their subjects in Essos were particular about the gods they worshipped. More specifically in their belief that the followers of R'hllor were popular for burning idols they considered false, and a Weirwood was a tempting and  _ flammable  _ target. That is how they found themselves standing by the empty beaches outside the walls of Meereen, where the sand had been excavated to accommodate the large tree.

 

To Victarion however, the important part of the story was watching his niece fiddle with the black and gold Greyjoy cape over her shoulders and the dark crown over her temples as the sun began to make its way down. Victarion, as the only one who had lived a considerable time in the North other than his nephew, was saddled with the title of officiator of the ceremony. The Sands, Daenerys’ advisors and Yara’s crew were standing by the weirwood, equally amused by usually composed and collected warrior pacing and fiddling impatiently. 

 

“Yara, I don’t think shifting sand will make this any easier” Yara turned sharply to look at her uncle, who was shaking the sand out of his boots and out of his equally black cape. The ironborn sighed deeply, nodding her understanding and trying to dig her heels into the ground to avoid moving much.

 

She had decided to glare at the floor, like it was at fault for her anxiety. And then, a beautiful sight came her way.

 

-oOoOo-

 

Daenerys for her part was no better than Yara. Since her betrothed’s stroke of brilliance, they had waited two weeks for all the arrangements to be made, standing by as her advisors tripped over themselves to have it all prepared in time. It almost seems ridiculous to be planning a wedding when they should have been preparing for a war, nonetheless the change was a welcomed one, one Dany had even enjoyed, until the day had been on them.

 

It was not the first time she was to be married, and the first time she had simply wanted to get it over with, to begin her nightmare; that it had turned out better than expected didn’t matter right now. This time however, she was not dreading it, the union might be purely for protection in the eyes of Westeros, but to Yara and Dany it was much more than that, and that is what had led her to her predicament.

 

“Your grace” Tyrion, clad in his Lannister red robes and golden yellow cloak, seemed almost amused, thinking back to his own marriage day and how much he had dreaded it, it seemed Daenerys was experiencing a different type of wedding nerves “i thought getting cold feet in this weather was impossible”

 

“While I always appreciate your jokes Lord Lannister, at the moment it seems my body refuses to respond to my orders”

 

“I assumed it would be an easier thing for you, knowing the person waiting for you cares for you and your happiness” Tyrion looked at his boots and then at the beautiful Queen, who was clad in a snow white dress and her beautiful crown. Hanging from her shoulders was a black cloak with the blood red Targaryen. The queen looked out to the setting sun, knowing the man was right, it was easier. The woman waiting for her had shown time and time again she cared for her happiness and wellbeing “Shall we go?”

 

-oOoOo-

 

“Who comes?” Yara’s voice quivered with anticipation. Victarion decided, for his own health, it was better to pretend he couldn’t see the tears gathering in his niece’s eyes. Or he would at least save that knowledge for later “Who comes before the gods?”

 

“Daenerys Stormborn of House Targaryen” Tyrion took a deep breath “First of her name, Queen of the Andals and the first men, Lady of the Seven Kingdoms and protector of the realm, comes here to be wed. A woman grown and flowered, trueborn and noble. She comes to beg the blessings of the gods” it almost seemed that he and the spectators were the only ones listening to the protocol of the ceremony, Yara Greyjoy seemed lost to the world when Daenerys had come within touching distance “Who comes to claim her?”

 

Yara shook her head from the stupor, and smiled the brightest smile any of those present had seen “Me, Yara of house Greyjoy, Queen of the Iron Islands, Lady Reaper of Pyke, Queen of Salt and Rock, Daughter of the Sea Wind, Lady of the Iron Islands. I claim her” Her gaze was ever so slowly ripped from Daenerys’ eyes to look at the man next to her “Who gives her?”

 

This was the part Tyrion had been riding on, in the hopes that Varys would owe him a bag of coins at the Sands’ reactions “Tyrion of House Lannister. Hand of Queen Daenerys” those present glanced down at his chest, where his gold pin of service shone brightly against the sun’s colors. His mismatched gaze looked up to the queen, who now seemed anxious to get the process done “Queen Daenerys Targaryen, will you take this woman?”

 

Dany had unshed tears in her eyes as her quivering voice answered “I take this woman”

 

Yara raised her hands to join them with Daenerys’ smaller ones, guiding her delicately towards the heart tree, where they bowed in respect towards the gods of old. Victarion reached out for the black cloak being offered by Greyworm, holding it in his hands for Yara to take when their proper respects were paid. Once again they turned towards each other, Yara’s rough hands brushing against Dany’s collarbone when she reached out to take her Targaryen cloak. Victarion offered the black cloak, embedded with the crowned dragon whose tail was tangled with the crowned Kraken’s tentacles. 

 

Daenerys missed the warmth for a single second between her cloak being taken away by Tyrion and Yara placing the new one over her shoulders. It seemed fitting that Drogon would fly over the ceremony, flames flickering, mixing with the oranges and reds of the setting sun. What ever Victarion had said after the cloak of their combined protection got lost to the queens who stole the seven god’s ceremony’s kiss as the sun disappeared under the horizon.

 

“I told you, all we needed was a weirwood and a sunset” Yara whispered, feeling a newfound sense of wonder when looking at the beautiful queen in front of her, at her beautiful queen. This woman was hers and that was all that mattered.

 

Dany laughed, tucking her head in the crook of the warrior’s neck “Leave it to you to forget about witnesses and the wedding feast” Yara’s contentment was so grand she even managed to ignore the uncomfortable feeling of the crown digging into her skin “one of us should address said witnesses, don’t you think?” Yara tightening her hold on her waist gave her the cue she already understood, she was the diplomat therefore it was her job.

 

“We thank you for witnessing this ceremony, and for your continued support. More importantly we would thank you to join us for the wedding feast”

 

Tirius led the lighthearted charge from the ironborn by proclaiming “Essentially what I came here for” allowing the Queen’s to direct them towards the great pyramid. A procession protected by the unsullied and surrounded by bewildered but excited people of Meereen, who had come to embrace Yara for what she was, their Queen’s closest confidant and now consort. 

 

-oOoOo-

 

Yara and Daenerys could be forgiven for not being able to remember much about their wedding feast.

 

What they could remember however was the small things that not one of the people surrounding them could recall. Yara’s and Daenerys’ hands wrapped around each other, the whispered nothings that were exchanged, the looks of lust that could be mistaken for something else, and the impatient tap-tap-tap-tapping of Yara’s boots on the ground, waiting for a polite time to leave the hall. 

 

Varys and Tyrion sat at the dais, the Lannister man drinking everything within sight, laughing rather loudly at Obara’s and Daario’s sour face. Obara because she had been forced to sit with the sour man, and Daario because if ever there was a sign he had completely lost Daenerys, it was the crowned queens wrapped up with one another, a black gold and red cape covering Daenerys.

 

“So, where are my spoils?” Tyrion gulped down his goblet, turning towards Varys, who had a strange scowl painting his features “there is no way the Sands did not frown and growl at me giving our Queen away”

 

Varys’ hands disappeared inside his sleeves, coming out with a small sack of coins “This is why I never gamble with a Lannister”

 

“Particularly this Lannister my friend”

 

All eyes in the room turned towards Daenerys, standing with a smiling Yara at her side, waiting for the room to quiet, which it did in record time for the drunken crowd.

 

“Queen Yara and I would like to thank you for your company in this important ceremony” Yara’s hand unconsciously rested on the pommel of her sword, not used to the idea she could hold Daenerys’ hand in public “We will now be retiring for the night, but please enjoy the feast and drinks” Dany turning towards the door gave the signal for the cheering and music to resume.

 

Tyrion could not help but giggle at seeing the queens nearly drag each other out of the great hall, their black cloaks swirling as they walked out. Seeing Daario frown even more, if that could even be possible, at both their anxiousness to leave and the Dragon-Kraken sigil, set him on a wine seeking adventure from the wine bearers. 

 

“Someone should run with them” 

 

“Why in the name of all the gods would anyone do that?”

 

Tyrion laughed into his cup as he answered, Varys for his part could not fault the logic behind his statement, and allowed a laugh to escape him as well “Because they will reach the queen’s chambers faster than anyone before them, it might even set a record”

 

-oOoOo-

 

Tyrion would have become far richer if he had bet on his idea, the swirling capes and laughter followed the queens, who were walking briskly towards the top of the pyramid, sprinting the last few feet, ripping at each other’s clothing once the heavy oak door slammed closed. 

 

“That took way too long” Yara grunted, throwing off her crown towards the couch nearby, caring little for how or where it landed, picking up Daenerys by the waist, her legs wrapping strongly around her own body. The Queen’s hands reached up to the always neatly arranged silver hair of her wife, tossing the crown off to land somewhere with a heavy clanking. 

 

“You wear too many layers” Dany had practice untying the heavy armor Yara wore, but this one was different. The more ornamental plate that the ceremony required was stupidly intricate, and had left Dany begging for something to cut through the steel “no, not that” Yara grinned rakishly at Dany’s order, her white dress had been left at the foot of the door with her small clothes, the only thing she sported and had ordered to keep was the black cloak over her shoulders, something the Greyjoy queen would not put up a fight for “what in the name of the seven hells”

 

“After marrying you I realize you are very impatient my Queen” Yara whispered laughingly, untying the remaining leather clasps, holding on to the plate before it dropped and tossing it away to join the crowns, the sound of it landing strongly on the ground did not faze either of the eager women “I like my women to be impatient”

 

Dany’s response was cut short by Yara reaching down to where the heat concentrated, leaving Daenerys breathless and asking for more. Getting her second wind, Dany switched their positions, looking for the place where Yara’s shirt met her trousers, pulling at it in order to even out the playing room. 

 

Yara Greyjoy would never admit outside of their bedchamber that she enjoyed Daenerys being strong and dominating in the bedroom as much as she was outside of it. Watching her wife’s eyes sparkle with lust as she threw off her shirt and unbuttoned her trousers made Yara realize, it would be a long and enjoyable night to put down for legend, one she wanted Daenerys to remember.

 

Tossed bedsheets, moans and screams and pleads for more surrounded the historical union’s wedding night. By the time the sun that had seen their marriage rose, Yara and Daenerys were exhausted, their breathing uneven and rapid. Dany’s head was resting on Yara’s chest, her legs tangled up with the warrior’s own, the Greyjoy’s arms tracing a well known up and down path on her arms and lower back, lulling the Targaryen to sleep. 

 

“I love you, Yara” her small voice sleepy and nearly lost in her losing battle to sleep “Greyjoy, Targaryen, whatever I have to call you now. You are mine, I am yours, and I love you” Yara’s breath hitched for a second, her right hand resuming its job of mapping Daenerys’ back, while her left tipped the sleepy queen’s chin upwards so her eye could meet the purple Targaryen gaze.

 

“I love you too Dany, now go to sleep, I will still be here and I will still love you when you wake up” Yara tightened her grip on Daenerys, her eyes drooping.

 

“Promise?”

 

“Always and forever my queen”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 2 Things  
> 1\. The ceremony was about as close as I could get to Sansa’s marriage scene in the Godswood, rewatched about 10 times so I hope you will forgive any mistakes. 
> 
> 2\. Once again my apologies for the lack of Smut, I tried but I really can’t write it.
> 
> As always, thanks for the screeching and the hype my dudes. Only 3 more to go!

**Author's Note:**

> If you haven't already read Sail Away, I hope you're excited for what's coming; If you have, I hope you like the edits and might enjoy it one more time! Criticism, pterodactyl screeches and the occasional screaming comment are always welcomed. See you all in the next one!


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